The Ugly Sister
by HalfBloodHannah
Summary: In my belief, every life as a bit of a Cinderella story to it. My only problem is that,in my own life story, I'm the Ugly Sister. And we all know Cinderella always gets the prince. LJ
1. Epilogue

I'm sure everyone has heard about the Cinderella story. I mean, who the hell doesn't know who Cinderella is?

The poor, sweet girl who was a slave in the hands of her stepmother and her "ugly" sister and falls in love with the prince who she ends up marrying and living happily ever after with. Everyone knows her. Everyone pities her. Everyone loves her for having her happy ending.

But I, unlike most people, when I think of the Cinderella story, I never seem to care about her. I mean, what about the stepsister, who, as time went by, started being called "bad", then "evil" and finally "ugly" sister? Doesn't she as well deserve a "happily ever after" with someone who loves her?

Now I'm guessing everyone is thinking "no". Why would she? After all she is the "ugly sister". She doesn't deserve an "ever after" let alone a happy one.

But Cinderella… she does. She worked so hard, she was such a victim in the hands of her family… she, the one who cleaned, the one who was starved, the one who only wore rags, she's the one who deserves the "happily ever after".

Well, for me, Cinderella was simply a clean freak, obsessed with her image who ate poorly to conserve her extremely thin image and wore rags because she thought it was the new black. That's seeing her from who she really was, not the poor child everyone thought her to be.

Cinderella was no more than that.

And now everyone is asking: what the hell is her problem? Why does she loathe Cinderella so much?

Well, in my belief, every single life as a bit of a Cinderella story to it. And my problem is that, in my own story life, I'm the "ugly" sister.

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**Author's note: ****I know it's small, but this is just a idea that popped on my mind as I was reading a book from Joanne Harris (which I can't remember the name right now) and I'm not sure if I should continue it; I was just trying it on to see if it worked.**

**Either way, ****you tell me**** what I should do**



**Hannah**

**Disclaimer: I don't own HP or anything connected to it**** (and this will do for the entire story)**


	2. 1st chapter

I reckon the term "ugly sister" isn't well placed here. I'm no princess, but I'm not ugly either. I'm average I guess. My eyes are of a dull green and my hair is of a carrot orange. Nothing too especial, nothing too common. Just normal.

But my sister… well, there's no way to describe her. She has long dirty blonde hair which looks so good with her oh so fair pearl skin. She has the bluest eyes I've ever seen, anyone can get lost in them as if they were an ocean; she's incredibly thin- and not thin anorectic, but of a perfect thin- and so damn pretty that's impossible for you to pass her on the streets and not look at her for as long as you can. She's her, she's _Petunia_.

And Petunia equals perfection. Think about it: she's pretty, thin, hard work and wears seemly cheap clothes. Besides, she's the sympathy in person.

Or so they think. She once said to me that cleaning took over 500 calories per hour and you can bet her seemly cheap clothes are more expensive than my whole wardrobe. And about being the sympathy in person... yeah right. Take the boys as an example. The boys in our neighbourhood kiss the ground she walks. And her? She couldn't care less about that. They're not enough for her. She wants something more. She doesn't want just someone handsome. She wants someone rich and powerful as well. She's insatiable. For her, only the best, nothing less.

But no one ever saw that.

Because there was me. When they compared me to her, I was just the over weight, weird, lazy, shop addicted sister. Besides, being nice and actually talking with people normally never really worked out for me.

Moreover, and more secretly, I'm a witch. And I'm not referring to being evil. I'm actually a witch.

When I was eleven, I received a letter saying that I had been accepted in a magic school. You can imagine how ecstatic I was. Being a witch! Every child dreams of that… and I'd made it come true!

And my sister… for the first time in her life, I had something she hadn't and she couldn't ever have. I, at last, was someone away from her shadows. How wrong I was when I thought it would be finally over.

I can remember when I was younger how I didn't care about everything that was said about me. I thought I didn't matter. People who loved me would always be there for me. Especially my sister. I was so stupid that I didn't saw Petunia would only be there for me as long as I was lower than her in my reputation. As long as she was poor sweet Petunia and I was stuck up Evans, she would be just dandy.

Going to a boarding school made me rethink my life on that feature.

Petunia didn't like the idea of me going and her staying. So she made sure everyone in our neighbourhood knew I was going to a boarding school while she was forced to stay and go to a public school. Everyone pitied her. Everyone hated me. It was then that I saw who she really was. And incredibly, I couldn't care less. I was going to be away from all that during ten months! Ten fantastic months…

Beauxbatons was an all girls' school. I'll not say that I hated it, because I didn't. The idea actually sounded good to me. You must understand that I wasn't exactly God's gift to earth. I was chubby, shy and- as most people thought- arrogant. And what was even better was that the school was away, far away from them. I was finally going to be _me._

And everything was alright until the end of my fifth year.

As I made sixteen and move from France to England, from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts everything changed.

When I met my neighbour and fell in love with him, and my sister set a record to marry a rich, powerful wizard and chose him, everything changed.

Because I knew, I just knew, he would never choose me. It didn't matter that I was magical like him and she wasn't.

In the end it was all trivial. It all came down to one truth: Cinderella gets the prince, the Ugly Sister doesn't.

I just knew James Potter would never be mine.

But, for you to really understand what my life is now, I have to tell you everything since the very first time my parents decided to tell me we were moving.

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**Author's note:**** thanks for the awesome 4 people who reviewed! So, I'm going on with this story after all. This chapter is like the first one, and the other was the prologue. Here you see how Lily really fit in on her life (or how she didn't really).**

**Next chapter you'll really see how the moving is, how they met James… all in all, the story per say will really start.**

**Either way, ****I'm waiting for feedback!!**

**xD**

_**Hannah**_

**Ps: I know Beauxbatons is not an all-girls school, but in this fic it is.**


	3. 2nd chapter

"Qu'est ce que tu viens de DIRE?" I asked my mom incredulously ("What did you just say?")

I had just arrived home from my fifth year at Beauxbatons, ready to have a horrible summer and then go back to my beautiful castle and have another great year when my mom decided to inform me of the great news.

"On vas changes de maison," ("We're moving") she answered simply. Then, stopping, she looked at my face and smiled that smile only mothers can "I don't get why you're so shocked," she said, for some reason in English "You know I've always wanted to go back to my place. And England is my place." She sighed "Did you loose weight honey?"

I almost yelled at her back then. I thought she was being selfish. She was taking me away from the only thing I loved!

"Je suis à ma place en France, pas en Angleterre!" I said "Oui, j'ai perdu du poids. But what does that have to do with this??" ("I don't belong in England, I belong in France!"; "Yes, I've lost weight.")

She sighed in exasperation as my father arrived with my bags he had taken from the car. "Don't be silly," he said sternly "And for now on we only speak English." He sighed as he let my trunk down a bit "Your mother and I were born in England, it's only normal that we want to go back now that we can. Besides, I thought you hated living here!"

I looked away. Of course I hated living there. Who, in my position, wouldn't?? But I didn't want to move… I didn't want to start over.

"What about school?" I asked at last "Am I suppose to take the plain back and fort between England and France every time?" I looked at my parents. They seemed too comfortable about that. In that moment, a terrible idea occurred to me. What if they were thinking about taking me out of the magic school?? No… they wouldn't. They knew magic was my life. It was a part of who I was. They wouldn't do that to me. I just knew they wouldn't… would they?

"Dad…" I asked slowly "I'm not quitting, am I?" I asked fearfully, and I knew it showed on my voice but on that moment I couldn't care less

My father gave me a bemused stare before laughing and shaking his head "Of course not!! And neither will you be taking the plane back and fort between England and France. You're changing school as well!"

I froze. For me, that was even worst than quitting. They couldn't make me change school!! Beauxbatons was my life; all my friends were there! IT had been my home for five years! Five wonderful years that I didn't want to leave behind me!!

"Non." I said "Je ne vais pas en Angleterre!!" ("No"; "I am not going to England!!")

My mum sighed in an angry way "Stop behaving like a child. Moving will do well for you. You'll meet new people and your father and I have already chosen a school for you; Your Headmistress advised us herself."

"You've got to be kidding me!" I shouted "You've decided my future without asking me about it?? Don't you get that I don't want to meet new people, I don't want to change school, and I don't want to move! Je veux rester ici!!" ("I want to stay here!!")

"Enough!" my father said. He didn't need to yell to be heard; never had I thought about disobeying him. It simply wasn't right. "We're moving, you're changing school and that's it."

I nodded slowly, knowing there was no way around it. I felt tears prickling in my eyes but I kept them in.

"Now, go to your room and start packing," he continued "We're leaving tomorrow."

"Tomorrow??" I asked incredulously, staring at him with wide eyes "What do you mean, tomorrow? I haven't got enough time to pack everything I own!"

"Your sister already did that," my mother said "you just need to pack some clothes she wasn't sure if you needed."

I almost laughed when my mum finished talking. Of course Petunia had done it. When had she refused a way to please my parents and to show she was hard work?? Never.

My mind started working a thousand miles per hour to find a way for me to stay. At least, to stay at Beauxbatons.

But I knew no matter what I came up with, I would still be moving, leaving Beauxbatons. My father always had the last decision.

"What are you still doing here?" my father strict voice said "Up to your room!"

I nodded and started climbing the stairs before I turned back to him with a question on my mind "What school am I going to?" I asked in only above a whisper. I didn't need anything louder.

"Hogwarts," my mother answered me "You're going to Hogwarts."

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They day we left was a day not to forget. It was incredible how our entire neighbourhood came to say goodbye to Petunia, the sweet child that would leave them (not that she was a child anymore). And it was funny how, even when we were leaving, Petunia never let her façade down.

As the car started moving, I only saw people waving and screaming for Petunia. I ignored them the best I could and, for the very first time since I had arrived from school, I didn't regret getting away from that place, away from that people. Maybe in England I'd be able to restart, and I wanted it so much...

But of course I knew I wouldn't be able to do it. No one can change history. And I wouldn't be the first to do it.

"So, you never really told us how your year was?" Petunia started in her perfect English with a soft French accent

I smiled sweetly "Cela c'est mon problème," I answered her. I hated it when she tried to be nice to me just because of my parents. If she wanted to mistreat me, I'd prefer her to do it in front of them. ("That's my problem")

"Tiens-toi bien et sois gentille avec ta soeur, Lillian!" my mum said ("Behave and be nice to your sister Lillian!")

I hated when my mother did that. "Mon prénom est Lily!" I shouted at her "And if we're moving to _Angleterre_, then speak English" I finished bitterly ("My name is Lily!")

"Do not speak on those terms with your mother!" my father said "Just answer your sister!"

I sighed and turned to Petunia "My year was great, thanks. Yours?"

"Even greater," she answered sweetly

"Good." my father said

I turned away from them and looked out of the window for the rest of the trip.

(…)

One thing I couldn't complain about: the new house was great.

It was bigger than the one we lived at in France, and it was certainly cosier. But it didn't felt like home, just as I was sure Hogwarts wouldn't.

The neighbourhood was also nice. I mean, you could see it was a rich people's street. Around them, my place seemed small. The one right next to mine was certainly the biggest place I had ever seen. The first time I saw it, the first thought that occurred to me was that it was a school, not a house.

My new room was also bigger than my last one. Once I got there, my furniture was already waiting so I moved things around until I finally felt more or less comfortable in it.

My bed ended up in the further corner from the window, with my two bedside tables. I found out I wouldn't need a closed, for this room had a walk in one and my puffs, my study table and all that was put right next to the window. It wasn't perfect, but I wasn't intending on staying long there anyway. Only two months.

The first and second days were all about that, cleaning and arranging things until we finally felt comfortable.

By the third day, everything was in order (with my sister's incredibly ability to clean of course), and I felt tired like I wasn't in years.

That afternoon, after lunch, I took a long shower and sat down by the TV, trying to guess what British people saw. A knock on the door made me get up and turn it off.

As I opened the door, my breath was caught in my throat. The most gorgeous guy I had ever seen in my life was standing there with a woman I assumed to be his mother.

He had big hazel eyes with the most unruly raven hair I had ever seen. He was tall (at least much taller than me) and I could almost bet he owned a six pack. He seemed to be one or two years older than me, probably Petunia's age. _Ah, Petunia_, I groaned internally when I remembered her. Thank God he wasn't a wizard, or he'd probably be hers… Who was I kidding! With a guy like him, I betted she wouldn't care about him being a wizard or not.

The woman that was with him had the same hazel eyes, but her hair was dark brown. She was probably in her fifties and had a caring expression.

I smiled at them "Bonjour," I said politely. Only after did I remember they were British "Sorry, I meant good afternoon," I corrected myself

The woman giggled "That's quite alright dear. I'm Mrs. Potter, and this is my son James. We live next door," she said sweetly "We came to welcome you to our neighbourhood."

I nodded as I smiled as well "Let me call my mother," I said to her as I invited them in.

I turned to the stairs and said "Maman, nos voisins sont ici pour nous souhaiter la bienvenue!" ("Mum, our neighbours are here to welcome us!")

After some seconds my mother appeared at the stairs wearing a smile and made her way to where Mrs. Potter and James were.

"Hi!" my mother said.

"Hello!" the woman answered just as cheerfully "I'm Doreah Potter and this is my son James," she said again "We live next door,"

Oh… the big house, I thought.

My mother nodded "I'm Rose Evans, this is my daughter Lily,"

I nodded their way. "Lily, could you take James to meet Petunia while I talk with Mrs. Potter?"

'Well, let me think', I thought, 'Would I mind walking around with a hot guy on my heels???'

"Of course," I said, as I motioned for James to follow me.

"So, you came from France, did you?" I heard Mrs. Potter asking my mother as I climbed the stairs. I noticed he hadn't said a word until then, so I decided to make him speak.

"Petunia is my older sister," I explained "She must be cleaning her new room or something,"

I looked back to see him nodding. "So, you've always live here?" I asked, trying to form smile talk

"Yeah," he said at last. His voice sounded so mature that it was impossible for me not to fall in love with it in that same second "My family has lived here for centuries."

I nodded "That's nice."

We had finally arrived to my sister's door. I knocked and waited for her to answer.

"Yes?" she asked

"It's Lily," I said, trying not to be bitter "Our new neighbour his here, mum wants me to introduce him to you"

"Est-il mignon?" she asked me. ("Is he cute?")

If James wasn't there I would laugh. It was so her to ask that. " Pourquoi tu veux savoir?" I asked her back. ("Why do you want to know?")

"Il pourrait être mon futur mari!" she answered ("He might be my future husband!")

I sighed in exasperation. Like always, that guy was one more lost to her.

I looked back at James and almost had a heart attack when I found him smiling, almost laughing.

"What?" I asked him, starting to smile too.

"You might want to answer your sister's question," he said

I felt colour rising to my face as I turned to the door "Oh Lord," I groaned "You speak French??"

"I understand a few things," he said, laughing

I laughed as well and thanked God for not having answered.

"Petunia, just come here please," I said to my sister "Il parle français,"

In a second Petunia's door opened as she came out. She was beautiful as ever and I saw how James stopped laughing once he saw her. He was already lost.

"Hi," Petunia said smiling shyly "I'm sorry about what I just said to my sister, it's a thing the two of us have," she lied in his face

Never in my life did I want to say the truth about my sister so badly, but I knew I shouldn't. She was my sister after all.

"Pleasure," he said "I'm James. I live next door,"

Petunia continued smiling that stupid smile of hers "I'm Petunia. Lily's older sister,"

He looked shocked "Really? I'd never guess that!"

"Thanks!" I said dryly "I'll be downstairs with mum." I said as I started descending the stairs.

"What's wrong with your sister?" I heard him ask Petunia when he thought I was out of earshot.

"Oh… don't mind her. She can be a little arrogant sometimes, but she's a good girl!"

Arrogant… that made my blood boil. But, as always, I didn't say anything.

No matter how far I was from France, how far I was from everything I knew, I was still the Ugly Sister no matter what.

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: feedback! I want feedback!**

**Anyway, thanks everyone who reviewed!!**

**xP**

**Hannah**


	4. 3rd chapter

In that day I remember James only left by night. He and Petunia stayed the entire afternoon talking. I ignored them the best I could, but Petunia's giggles were unmistakable and incredibly loud.

When he finally left, it was already dinner time. My parents had the brilliant idea of ordering a pizza as our fridge was seemingly empty. For some reason they had forgotten to shopping when our food ended by lunch.

In that day, when I fell asleep, it was really late. My curfew being normally at ten, when I only go to sleep at one, it's only normal that, next day, I'm not able to wake up.

And that was exactly what happened. Next day the sun rose without me. When I woke up, it was well past ten and, after a long bath and a go to the kitchen, I finally remembered our fridge was empty and my parents were supposed to go shopping that morning. Petunia had probably gone with them.

So I just mopped around my house for a good twenty minutes, looking everywhere for food only to be disappointed and end up deciding to go back to bed until my parents arrived.

But, as I was finally climbing the stairs, a knock on the door made me turn and groan. I was _such_ a lucky person, I thought.

I walked to the door and, as I was entering the hall, I found money and a note from my parents telling me to order something if I wanted.

Needless is to say I felt incredibly stupid.

Another knock on the door make me jump in surprise and realise I still had someone on my door, no matter how stupid I was feeling.

I sighed and opened the door. My heart gave a big leap when I found a pair of hazel eyes looking at me. I smiled shyly and wondered what he was doing at my place when no one else was at home.

"Hey," he said

"Hi," I answered "Errr… what are you doing here?" I asked slowly, so as to not leaving him thinking I was trying to push him away

"I came to see your sister," he answered simply, as if it was nothing "I was suppose to show her around today and I thought we could have lunch first."

I nodded sadly. Of course he was there for Petunia. _Show her around_… yeah right. As if I was that stupid. "Well, sorry to inform you, but she's not home," I answered "She went shopping with my parents."

"Oh," he said, looking down for some seconds as if disappointed "Oh." he repeated. He looked up again "Do you know when they'll arrive?"

I was almost snapping at him that no, I didn't know, when I thought better of it and just answered him nicely. What was wrong with me and this guy?? Okay, my sister had gotten hot boys before this one, why was I acting like this now?? What was so special about James Potter??

"Yes, they left me a note saying they'd arrive at twelve," I told him

He nodded as he looked at the clock in his wrist "Well then, do you mind me waiting?" he asked suddenly "It's only ten minutes,"

I looked at him stupidly for some seconds. He wanted to wait, so what?? I was capable of keeping him company for some mere minutes, right?? He was just another guy! Another completely hot, cute, sweet guy my sister wanted! No _big_ deal… no pressure… sure thing!!

"Lily…" he whispered, bringing me back to reality

I jumped back in surprise as I looked up at him and felt my face got "Sorry," I said "Uh... sure!" I said awkwardly "Come in,"

I led the way back to the living room and we both sat down. My heart was beating crazily for some strange reason to me. What is wrong with me today?, I thought.

"So… sorry for not having anything to offer you, but our fridge is incredibly empty," I said, smiling awkwardly.

"No problem," he said easily as he gave me a smile that made me smile even more. It was really not one of my days. "Look…" he started "Sorry about yesterday."

I raised an eyebrow at him "What for?"

"That thing about your sister not looking older than you," he sighed "I really didn't mean to offend you. I mean, your sister is cute and all," he stopped and smiled dreamily "I mean, she's beautiful,"

"So I've been told…" I muttered

"But one can see she's clearly older," he finished, not hearing me or pretending not to "Although you two are incredibly different. She had that blonde hair and blue eyes and you have red hair and…" he stopped there

I sighed sadly "Green eyes," I supplied "I have green eyes."

He smiled "Yeah, green eyes. You and your sister and so different in looks…"

We were in silence for some minutes and I knew he was thinking about something he clearly wanted to ask me. I had an especial sense to know when people were trying to ask me something.

"Just say it," I said at last as I laughed at his stupid face.

"Say what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Whatever you're thinking about,"

We were in silence for some more minutes until…

"Why don't you like your sister?"

I gasped at him "Why do you think I don't like my sister?"

"Why were you so rude to her yesterday?"

Now that was rich, I thought, who did he think he was to ask me something like that?

"Why do you think I was rude to her yesterday?" I asked him back with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you always answer a question with another question?"

He was ticking me off. "Do you always do that as well?"

"Will you give me an answer or not?" he asked somewhat exasperatedly

I sighed. What bad would it do for me to answer him?, I thought.

"It's not that I don't like my sister," I said finally "We're just too different to get along."

He shook his head "I don't get why. Your sister is so nice and… well, I just know her for one day and already I can't stop thinking about her,"

I felt my heart stopping when he said. This is getting too much, I thought, I was not supposed to be feeling that. It was just a random guy!

"Good for you then," I said after a while, trying not to show in my voice the hurt I was felling inside "Just remember not everything is what it looks like at first sight."

He looked at me strangely, but I was saved from further questioning as we heard the door opening and my parents and Petunia entering loaded with bags.

"Petunia," James breathed as he got up "Let me help you with those bags," he said sweetly as he took the bags from her hands.

"Thanks, James," she said giggling.

"Lily, go get the rest of the bags," my father ordered. I got up and went to the car were only four bags remained.

I picked them up and entered the house again. As I was going through the living room, I saw James and Petunia sitting and talking. I got a big lump on my throat and hurried to the kitchen.

No one got up to help _me_.

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**Author's note: thank you all so much for the wonderful fifteen reviews I got!!!**

**I hope I do get the same this time so… review people!!!**

**Anyway, ****blacks-stars****, I might take up your offer about the French, so… be ready to hear from me!!**

**x)**

**Hannah**


	5. 4th chapter

Next weeks were hell for me. Every day James would come to my place or my sister would meet him for a walk. Everyday they were together and, somehow, that hurt me immensely.

Sometimes, as I was in my room, I watched them outside through my window, playing and laughing with each other. I even saw when James introduce her to his friends, three guys- two of them extremely good looking- who seemed as fond of Petunia as James was.

They- James and Petunia- weren't really dating. Petunia said she didn't want to get attached to anyone. Besides, James wasn't a wizard. She had to know if he was worthy. I always snorted at her. She was so stupid.

Sure I spoke to James sometimes after that afternoon. Mostly briefly when he came to pick up my sister. But he didn't understand me.

And I even tried, like my parents suggested me, to fit in my neighbourhood, but, one afternoon as I was talking to them, I disagreed on something they said. I gave my opinion and immediately I was classified as arrogant. And everyone drifted away from me, especially –as always- when they compared me with me dear sister. Fine with me, I thought.

Also my best friends from Beauxbatons promised me they'd come and visit me. But I found out they could only come for Christmas. As you see, my good luck was rocking on.

And, as time went by and August was upon us, I started forgetting a little about him, about her and about all my new life.

It was only one more month until I went back to school, and I already had my supplies and books for when school begun. I had never been a really good student at Beauxbatons, I only had average grades. But, at Hogwarts, I wanted to make a difference. In my sixth year I'd have potions, charms, transfiguration, defence against the dark arts, herbology and arithmancy. And I wanted to make a good impression on my teachers, so I dedicated every single day to my studies. And since I made that decision, I started spending all my days in my room, studying. I'd be the best student, even if it killed me.

It was the day before school begun when I finally cracked. I remember it was one a.m. when I got up from my bed, exhausted and decided I had had enough of everything.

What happened next or how I got to the street without my family noticing it, that'll always be a mystery for me.

What I know is that I found myself walking down the streets I barely knew, not really caring about who saw me and what they would think. Oh! How Petunia would love to know her sister had finally had enough!

As I was a few meters away from my place, and out of eyes shot of my house, I heard someone calling my name.

Now, at one a.m. who the hell would be on the streets calling my name? Actually _knowing_ my name and _calling_ it?, I thought.

And I found out I didn't really care.

There was absolutely nothing I cared about in that moment. So, instead of turning, I ran. I ran the fastest I could, not really knowing where I was going and not really worrying about it either. I just ran.

Finally, a few blocks away, I stopped. Whoever was following me had given up and I found myself alone in a kids' park.

I let myself fall to the grass and I started crying without control, huge sobs leaving my mouth. I pulled my knees up to my chest and continued crying like I hadn't in some time. Since the summer before, actually.

After a few minutes I felt two strong arms around me, pulling me to whoever was that had found me. I looked up, not even cleaning my tears, and found two concerned hazel eyes staring down at me. James. James was the one calling my name. James owned the two big arms and the shoulder I had left myself fall into. _James_…

"Lily…" he said to my ear, sending shivers down my spine "What are… what… what's happening?"

I just shook my head as I pulled away from him and cleaned my tears, finally self conscious of how I should look.. Crying in a desert area away from home at one a.m. Well, if he didn't think I was crazy before, now he did for sure, I thought.

I laughed "Sorry," I said "This must seem really stupid to you. Don't worry, I'm not crazy or anything," I told him as I stood up and cleaned my pyjama's pants.

"No," he said and made me turn to face him "I don't think you're crazy. But I am worried about you, that I am."

I looked at him bemused "Worried? What about?" I asked, and then started looking around, trying to find a way back home

"Lily, c'mon. It's one in the morning, you're out of your place after more than a month never leaving it and crying." he said very bluntly

"You're out of you place at one in the morning as well," I pointed out, trying to take the subject out of me.

"Well, my room is right in front of yours, and I saw you jumping your window with that rope. Got my worried so I came after you."

I laughed again. As always, my huge luck caught up on me.

"I'm fine," I said "I'm going back home," I told him and started making my way without even thinking to where I was going and if that way would lead me home.

"Lily, do you even know where you're going?"

I sighed "No, not really. But don't worry, I'll get there!"

I heard him laugh. I stopped and turned. "Yes?"

"I'll take you home," He said, serious again "Maybe we should call your sister and she could take care of you."

Just that simply sentence made my eyes well up again. James cared because he thought my sister would like to know he helped me, I thought, of course.

The damn tears started to fall down my face again and I felt myself being pushed into a hug, again. I pushed back.

"Why do you even care? Is it because of Petunia?"

"Of course not!" he said

"Well, if it is, I don't care. Just leave me, okay? You don't have to take care of me. I'm no child anymore."

I tried to walk away, but James grabbed my arm and didn't let me go. That time, I accepted his hug as I cried.

"You don't want to go home, right?"

I nodded into his chest.

"Come with me then," he said "To my place. There are many rooms, you can sleep in one of them."

"No…" I sobbed "I can't. My parents… they'd be worried."

"Then just come with me until you calm yourself down a bit," he whispered to my ear "I don't like the idea of leaving you alone like this. And then you can tell me _why_ you're like this."

I nodded once again to his chest "Okay." I said

He gave me a reassuring smile and started walking, his arm still around my shoulder.

(…)

We arrived to his place about twenty minutes later, it was almost two a.m.

James' place seemed even bigger on the inside than on the outside, and it was richly decorated. Just like I had imagined it.

He led me to what I supposed was his living room and sat me down on the couch as he went to fetch us something to eat. I didn't say anything nor did I protest. I was really not in the mood to do either.

James came back five minutes later with coffee, tea and some cakes. I took the coffee but rejected all the other things.

James sat next to me and was in silence for some very awkward minutes as I stared at my coffee. Finally, he spoke.

"So, what was wrong back then?" he asked me.

I didn't look up from my coffee as I answered "I don't really know," I said honestly.

He sighed "You're lying," He said easily "What's wrong? I won't be here forever to help you, you know?"

I looked up to see him smiling. I smile too.

"Why not? You live next to me," I asked, but regretted the second the words left my mouth.

He laughed and nodded as well "Yeah, well, I go to a boarding school. This is my last day here,"

I nodded but didn't say anything.

"Your sister told me you go aboard too," he said

I nodded again "Oui," I answered

He smiled "So, again, are you telling me what's wrong?"

"I just…" I broke off, not really knowing what to say. There were only two people in the entire world who knew what was wrong with me, and those were Madeleine and Elodie Pasteur, my best friends, who were miles away from me in that moment. I wasn't sure I'd be able to tell him. So I didn't.

"Just some girl's problem," I told him at last "Nothing to worry about."

He smiled at me and didn't question me further, but I know he didn't believe me.

I stood up suddenly, putting the cup of coffee on the coffee table, and looked at him.

"I should probably be going," I told him

He nodded "You can still sleep around if you want…"

I shook my head "No," I said "I'll go home. Want some help to clean this?" I asked, pointing to the cakes, tea and coffee.

"No, no need for that," he told me "Pinky will help me."

I raised an eyebrow at him as I tried not to laugh "Who the hell is Pinky?" I asked him

And in that exactly moment a pink creature I knew was a house elf appeared in front of us. I looked at James shocked as he looked at the house elf and then at me, afraid.

"James…" I said slowly "Do-"

He cute my off "Sorry about this Lily," he said, as he took his wand from his pocket

I froze. James Potter had a house elf _and_ a wand. That meant… he was… he was… a…

"_Oblivi-_"

"No!" I screamed, stopping him of using a memory spell on me "What are you doing? You're not going to erase my memory! Put that wand down!"

He looked at me astonished "Okay… how do you know this is a wand and I was going to erase your memory?"

I smiled, the idea finally sinking in "You're a wizard," I stated "My neighbour is a ruddy wizard!"

He laughed "You're a witch. _Literally_."

I nodded happily "I go to Beauxbatons," I told him "Or I went. I go to Hogwarts now,"

"Me too! I'm a seventh year! In which year are you in?" he asked me

"Sixth. I'll be entering my sixth year," I told him

"What house? I'm a Gryffindor,"

I shook my head "I haven't been sorted."

"Oh, of course," he said, blushing "And your sister is she…?"

My happiness went away in that moment. He had to bring Petunia into the talk "No. I'm a muggle born," I said

He nodded "Oh well," he said "It doesn't matter."

"Well then," I said awkwardly "I better go home. The train leaves tomorrow and I'd like to be fresh."

He nodded too "See you tomorrow then."

I smiled again "See you tomorrow."

That night I slept like a baby. Next day I'd be going to Hogwarts! And- although Hogwarts wasn't Beauxbatons- Hogwarts was away. Besides, James was there.

So, Petunia would stay home; James would go to Hogwarts with me and Hogwarts was away from everything! Besides, I was ought to be the best sixth year student!

It was perfect and the year couldn't seem brighter for me.

How wrong I was.

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**Author's note: so, yeah, somehow I got twenty five reviews last chapter and I'm still a bit… shocked!!! Lol. Thank you all so much!!! I hope you keep reviewing like this!!**

**Lili-potter8907****: god no, Petunia's not going to Hogwarts. I think Lily would die if she did!!**

**Osmunda Regalis of Daybreak****: thanks! Yeah, I can relate somehow in that too. ****And thanks for the tip!**

**WhiteGreen****: it doesn't matter how much you write, as long as you do write!! X); english not my language as well! I'm Portuguese!**

**Indiglo****: yes, i understand why you're sayng Lily looks like the cinderela more than the ugly sister. But that's because you're seeing it from your point of you. try to see it by her side: she's uglier than her sister, she hasn't had the same outgoing personality and such. For her, she's the imperfect sister, Petunia's the perfect.**

**fionasmoke****: thanks for the tip about the guy. I haven't really thought about it, but we'll see. X)**

**camillebananapeel****: no, in this story, Petunia liked wizards. Sort off. She wants to marry one so that she has everything her sister has as well.**

**Ruby89****: okay, you probably caught that up in this chapter, but I'll put it here: James' in seventh year and Lily's in sixth**

**LazyBoyGilmore****: I was going to put one more chapter before Hogwarts, but when I read your review I decided to hurry things up! ;) It actually works better this way.lol. Thanks for the review!!**

**Cosmopolitan: it's not that she's ugly, she's just not as pretty as her sister (on the outside, because on the inside…). Anyway, she'll start to understand that and, as she does, people do as well. Thanks for the review!**

**And sorry for everyone else who's not here, but I had litlle time to write this so I just answered the ones who asked me questions!**

**But you all made my day!! ;)**

**Thanks and don't forget to review!!!**

**Hannah**


	6. 5th chapter

I never really had the time to tell my family James was a wizard before leaving for school. Actually, I wasn't thinking in doing it either way- that should be a secret I would keep to myself.

Next day I woke at nine thirty (I still don't know how I managed to do it) and at ten I was ready to embrace my new school.

We then left for King Cross station where I was supposed to catch the train to Hogwarts in the platform 9 and ¾. Of course I thought it weird as soon as I saw the ticket, but I didn't linger on that for long; who knew how English people worked.

I arrived at the station at ten thirty, my parents and sister trailing behind me- Petunia was all smiles to my parents, but every time she looked at me and they weren't looking as well, I saw the jealous, annoyed look she gave me. I grinned at that. How good it felt to know there was something I had that she couldn't ever have.

We ran the station from one side to the other, and yet the said platform where I was supposed to catch the train was nowhere in sight. I should've asked James, I thought, but then I'd have to tell my parents he was a wizard too. Oh, well, I would find my own way.

After fifteen minutes of searching for the damn platform, I quitted and sulked around the ninth and tenth platforms while my parents looked around. The nine and ¾ should probably be around there somewhere, hidden from the muggles. And did they hide it well!!

"Lily, didn't it say anything in the letter?" my father asked from the one hundred time.

I shook my head. "No," I answered trying to hide my impatience. He was my father after all. "They only said to wait at the platform nine and three quarters."

Petunia sighed as she leaned against the space between the ninth and the tenth platform.

"She'll loss the train," she said "Maybe we should go home."

I shook my head. There was no way I'd be going back. "Non." I said, as I, as she did, leaned against the wall.

I almost had a heart attack when I didn't feel anything supporting me, falling backwards into my arse. I yelped as I fell and looked around me. People were looking at me and some laughing. Great way to start my year, I thought.

That's when I looked up and there it was: the sign reading platform 9 and ¾.

I almost, key work is _almost_, squealed in happiness as I understood how the barrier worked. My sister, as she was a muggle, wasn't able to step through it, that was why she hadn't fall back.

I came back through the barrier to see my parents looking shocked. Well, it was not everyday you saw your daughter getting in and out of an apparently solid brick wall.

"I have good and bad news," I said as I smiled "Good news, I found the train. Bad news, you can't seem to go through the barrier."

My parents nodded in comprehension "Well then, this is goodbye I think," my mother said, as she pulled me into a hug "Behave."

"Be a good girl," my father said as he kissed my forehead

Finally Petunia came and hugged me as well. I hugged her back against my will "Hope you enjoy school," she said "Because holidays will be hell," she whispered the last part only for me.

I smirked "Well, don't worry, I _will_ enjoy school!"

I picked my trunk, said goodbye to my parents and turned to the barrier again.

Here I go, I thought, no going back now.

(…)

With great difficulty, I managed to put my trunk into the trunk's compartment. The only thing I had left to do was finding a compartment for myself. As a new girl, I had absolutely no idea where to go.

I started walking down the halls, which were still full of students- all of them giving me odd looks- trying to find an empty compartment.

I didn't seem to be having luck; every compartment was completely full or at least had two or three students who glared at me the second I opened the door.

I was starting to get desperate as I descended the train without finding any place suitable for me. And then, I finally saw him: James, talking to some girl with three other guys I remembered seeing him with during the summer, in the middle of the crow- who didn't seem to want to disturb them. I smiled and sighed. He'd help me. I knew he would.

"Hi," I said as I approached to call his attention.

James looked at me and so did his friends and the girl who he was talking to.

"Do I know you?" one dark haired guy, who was extremely handsome and had dark eyes asked.

"Not really," I said as I turned to James and waited for him to say something.

"Oh, right," James said as he looked at his friends "You won't believe who she is."

"Who?" asked the shortest of the four, who had blue watery eyes and blonde hair. He wasn't ugly, but he wasn't near as handsome as the other. Not that I was one to talk.

"She's Petty's sister," James said, as he smirked.

His three friends looked at me for a total of three seconds before bursting into laughter.

"No way," the last of the four, a sandy brown haired guy with a seemingly nice expression said. He didn't seem so nice to me back then. "No way she's _her_ sister."

The dark haired guy looked down on me "I agree with Moony. I mean, Petty's… beautiful, no, gorgeous. Now, she is…" he broke off with a look on his face that clearly completed his sentence. Ugly.

An incredible pain shot through my heart as I looked at James and waited for him to say something, to step up for me, to defend me.

He didn't do any of those.

My world crushed in that second as I looked at him with a hurt expression and he seemed to squirm under my gaze.

"Well, what are you still doing here?" the black haired guy asked me after some seconds "Off you go, this isn't place for you."

I nodded silently. I can't explain what I was feeling back then. Imagine you were a bird and were flying freely above the skies… and then, unexpectedly, someone cut your wings after letting you know how it was like to be free. I felt stupid, so incredibly stupid…! Of course nothing would change, no matter how many times he helped me. I was the _Ugly Sister_ for ever and ever. Not even when she was away did my sister stop messing with my life.

I started walking again, not saying a word. Hogwarts felt so wrong now…

As I walked away I heard the guy talking again.

"Petty's sister or not, she's a geek," he said "No way I'll be seen with her."

His friends laughed and I noticed, heart broke, that James was laughing along.

"Did you notice her eyebrows? Man that was bad."

I couldn't take that anymore and my cold expression wore off as I started running the fastest I could down the halls, pushing people away from me as I ran for the end of the train.

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**Author note: I bet you don't like James as much now… yeah, neither do I.**** But he won't be like this for ever, I promise! I hate hating James as well!!**

**Anyway, thanks**** for the incredibly twenty seven reviews I got last chapter!!!!!**

**It made me want to write faster than ever but, unfortunately, I wasn't able to. I had a Portuguese test yesterday (yes, it did go well if you're wondering!lol) and I have geography test on Monday. Now, as you probably don't know, my fanfics are mostly written **_**during**_** geography, so I haven't paid that much attention to classes. I'll have to study **_**a lot**_** during this weekend!!**

**Anyway, hope you review as much as you did last chapter!!!**

**Every time I get a review I smile!!!**

**Hannah**


	7. 6th chapter

The trip to Hogwarts was faster than I thought it would.

I found myself pretty much alone in one compartment- like I've said before, I never had a really outgoing personality to actually talk to people I don't know. That was more to Petunia. Or Petty, I thought sarcastically.

The castle was magnificent.

Beauxbatons was beautiful, no doubt about it, but Hogwarts beat it. Especially during the night, it looked so… magical. It reminded me I lived in a world where everything was possible.

In the sorting ceremony, where I was sorted with the first years, I ended up in Gryffindor. True to be told, I was actually sad about it.

Funny to think that, just a few hours before, I had been wishing with all my strengths to be in Gryffindor because of James. But after what happened in the train, I'd be happy even if I was sent to Slytherin- which seemed the nastiest of the four houses. Anything but Gryffindor.

During the feast, I sat with the first years, not trusting myself to seat with anyone older. Who knew what that idiot had told everyone? By idiot I mean James' friend. Or should I start calling him Potter??

After the feast, I followed a perfect- younger than me- and the first years to the Gryffindor tower. It wasn't like I knew my way around or anything like that to guide myself.

"You're not a first year, are you?" a little girl asked me as we saw for the first time the Gryffindor common room, which was wonderful, just like every other part of the castle, in red and golden colours.

I smiled at her. "No; I just transferred from another school this year."

The girl smiled back at me "I thought so. I'm Charlotte. Which year are you? You look old."

Instead of feeling insulted by her comment, I actually laughed at what she had said "I'm a sixth year," I said smiling "And my name's Lily."

She nodded just as the prefect voice said "Girls' dormitories up there!"

I looked to see where he was pointing and started walking that way, Charlotte behind me. The first door we found up the stairs said 'First years'. Charlotte stopped there and I stopped as well.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow," I said to her

She smiled as she nodded "Yes," I turn to continue up the stairs when she called my name again.

"Yeah?" I asked as I turned, surprised.

"Would you mind waiting for me tomorrow morning so we can go down together?" she asked.

I sighed in relief as she finished her question. I knew she was a first year, but having a friend- or at least knowing someone- was the thing I most wished for. I smiled "Sure thing. G'night." and I finished my way up the stairs.

"G'night Lily," I heard her saying.

I smiled to myself as I found the door that read 'sixth year'. I took a deep breath before I opened it, stepping inside.

Inside of the dormitory there were exactly five beds. Only one didn't have any personal thing making it unique, so I deduced that was my bed. I walked to it and, sure thing, my trunk was there. I started looking through it to take off my pyjamas when a voice made me turn and face my new room mates.

"Hey," a girl with a round face and brown hair, or so I think, as it was dark, said "You're new, right?"

I nodded "Yeah," I said

"I'm Alice," she said "It seems we're going to be room mates."

"I'm Lily," I told her, not knowing what else to say.

"These are Fiona," she pointed towards a girl who had dark blonde hair and brown eyes as well, "Meagan," a girl with dark hair nodded to me, "and Anna," she pointed to a girl who approached us and nodded. She had auburn red hair and hazel eyes

"Hey," I said "Pleasure to meet you."

"The same," the girl I think was name Fiona said "So, I heard you had a row with Sirius back on the train?"

I blinked in confusion. Then it dawned on me "Oh! The black haired guy who was with Ja- Potter?" I corrected myself

She nodded "That one," She rose an eyebrow at me "Just so you know, they're not the kind of people you want to mess with."

I nodded "I've noticed." I said

Anna looked at me "Confident much?"

Great, I thought, I was getting confusions already.

"All we needed now was an arrogant one," Fiona said, and Anna shot her a dark look. It seemed to me the two of them didn't get along that well.

"Shut it Fiona," the dark haired girl, Meagan, said "Don't mind her. She's in love with Sirius Black for as long as I can remember. But he's a complete whore. I know the term applies to girls only, but he is, really!! He's incredibly handsome and kisses really well- I've had my go too, I can tell- but he shags everything that wears a skirt and-"

"Enough rambling Meg," Alice, the first to approach me said "No need to scare her so soon," she smiled kindly, "Sorry for Anna, she is a bit rough sometimes but that's just until you meet her. Deep down she's a good girl-"

"Way deep down," Fiona interrupted. Anna didn't answer as she simply climbed into her bed. She didn't seem to talk that much.

"Like I was saying, Anna is a nice girl, you'll like her. She only speaks when she believes what she has to say 'is more important than the silence'. Her own words," Alice continued as she smiled and sat down on her bed "And Fiona is only a bitch sometimes. She can be nice too."

"She just loves Sirius way to much," Meagan added

I smiled at that as Fiona punched Meagan. It seemed to be a normal joke between them. That reminded me of Madeleine (Mado for short) who was in France probably saying jokes like that one to Reine-Claude (or Rénnè, another of my friends) and Elodie. I missed them.

"And Meagan…" Alice continued "Well, if you let her, she'll ramble all night long about useless things!"

"I so would not!" Meagan said "I was only informing her about the danger that is Sirius Black, who I know doesn't think with his head head but with his lower head. Oh, you mustn't know what his lower head is. Well, it's his-"

"_We_ should go to sleep. Classes start early," Alice said, interrupting Meagan before she could add anything else. I laughed and saw Fiona laughing too, while Alice just tried not to, "Good night Lily." she said with all politeness.

I continued laughing "Good night," I said as they all said goodnight and went to their beds.

Instead of following their example and going to sleep myself, I decided to take a long bath before. When I came back, already in my pyjamas and ready to sleep, I found a girl in my bed, waiting. I raised an eyebrow as she was the less likely to be waiting for me. Yet, she was.

"Hi," I said "Need anything?"

She looked me in the eyes before speaking "Watch your back. Those four you saw on the train never leave anything as it is."

With that, she left my bed and went to her own, without saying anything else.

I stared after her, bewildered at her antics "Thank you," I said at last, hoping she had heard me "Good night then."

No sound came back. I entered my cosy sheets and closed my eyes. When I was almost asleep, I heard her saying.

"And welcome to Hogwarts."

I smiled to myself as I felt into a deep sleep. I had a feeling Anna and I would give along really well.

(…)

"Lily, get up! Come on, you're going to be late! You still have to go to breakfast"

I grumpily rolled over as the sun touched my eyes. I opened them grouchily to find two big blue eyes staring down at me.

"What the hell!" I asked as I sat up quickly. None of my room mates had blue eyes from what I remembered!

I relaxed as I saw Charlotte was the one who was jumping up and down my bed. I sighed.

"Charlotte? What are you doing here?" I asked as I gave her a smile to show I wasn't angry or anything.

She smiled too "You ought to get up because you're really late. I was waiting for you and when you didn't come I decided to come upstairs. Good thing I did."

I groaned as I looked at the clock and saw it was only half an hour until classed started. Not to mention I had no idea how to get to the Great Hall. Great, I thought, what an impression I was going to cause on my teachers. I made a mental note to thank my room mates for waking me up.

"Wait for me downstairs in the common room. I'll hurry up, okay?"

She nodded as she ran out of my dormitory and I heard her descending the stairs.

There was one good thing in having school uniforms: I didn't have to waste time deciding what to wear. So, in only ten minutes, I was fully dressed and thanking God I had taken my bath the night before.

As I had no idea which class I had first, I put every book into my bag and ran down the stairs just as Charlotte had previously done, but stopped dead in my tracks the moment I reached the common room.

Charlotte was there, waiting for me like I told her to. But she wasn't alone. James was there talking to her.

I cleared my throat as I approached them, so as to tell Charlotte I was ready to go. I had no idea what James would say or act after what had happened the day before. Hell, I didn't know what I should say and act. I wondered to myself how someone could be so sweet and so stupid the next moment.

"Lily…" he said. I ignored him as I turned to Charlotte.

"Should we go down now?" I asked her.

She nodded smilingly, "The Head Boy promised he'd tell me the way, since neither of us really knows it!"

I raised an eyebrow at her "Who is the Head Boy?" I asked curiously.

I slapped myself mentally the next minute as I remembered James was in seventh year. It wasn't like there was anyone else in the common room, so it was obvious he was the Head Boy.

"Oh… oh," I said "Well, I don't think I need, nor do I _want_, his help," I said fiercely. I remembered what Anna had told me the night before, but that only gave me more strength. I wasn't about to step out. Not this time.

"Look Lily," he started "I'm sorry about what happened yesterday-"

I looked at him surprised. Of everything he could do, I never imagined he'd apologize.

"-Sirius was really stupid back then and I don't know what hit me," he told me as he look at my eyes "Am I forgiven?"

I looked at him lost. What the hell should I say? Of course I wanted to forgive him! But… what if he didn't actually mean it?

One way to find out, my mind told me.

I smiled at him "Okay James. You're forgiven," I gave in "Now would you please show us where the Great Hall is?"

He nodded, "Follow me, ladies!"

Charlotte smiled at me with a knowing expression I thought was too old for her age "What?" I mouthed to her.

She only grinned in answer. I grinned back.

We arrived to two huge doors I remembered belonged to the Great Hall. James turned and smiled.

"I'll leave you two here; as Head Boy I have some duties to fulfil," he said. I nodded "See you later."

"See you James," I said at the same time Charlotte said "Bye James."

We watched him leave before she turned to me again.

"You sooo like him."

I stared at her shocked at bemused only blinking my eyes "No I don't," I said at last "He's hocked up on my sister."

She made a soundless "Oh," with her mouth before looking ahead "I never said he wasn't. But that doesn't take back the fact that you like him," with that, she entered the Great Hall, leaving me to stare after her.

What if… what if I really did… like James? It seemed such a stupid idea… well, it was stupid for sure. I mean, he liked my sister and once he'd tell her he was a wizard, I was sure as hell she'd started planning their bloody wedding.

I couldn't like him, I couldn't possibly like him. Charlotte was dreaming.

I shook my head as I entered the Great Hall and sat down next to her and started eating breakfast quickly.

If someone tells you first years don't know what they say, ignore them. If only I knew how right Charlotte was at that moment, maybe I'd have been able to stop whatever it was that I was starting to feel. If only I knew…

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**Author note: I'm so happy! I want to thank you all for the marvellous twenty six reviews I had last chapter!!**

**It mad me feel so happy that I decided to settle down and write this damn chapter, no matter how many exams I have tomorrow.**

**Anyway, answering reviews now. No, Lily is not going to have a make up (sorry guys!!)**

**firewalker32****: thank you!!!**

**Juliette Fox****: I know, I hate hating James too!!**

**Camillebananapeel****: yeah, I wanted too. But we all know Sirius is a good boy. Just like Anna, deep deep down he's not that bad at all!!**

**Eternal-charmer****: I know the chapters are short. And I'm sorry for that. But I like the impact short chapters have on people better, I don't know why. I'll try to make them longer as I start getting more into the story. ****Anyway, thanks!!**

**xxxHPxxx**** thanks for the huge review!! I loved it!! So, no, Petunia covered it up really well and James was "blinded" by her beauty so, he actually didn't mind it at all (he also thought it was just a joke). By the way, Petunia **_**is**_** annoying. There's no way to change it. And you're right in that: why should Petunia always be the bad too? Well, although I do agree with you on that, I can't like Petunia for all that she did, so she always has to be the bitch for me!!**

**Rubudu****: sorry, I know they're short. But if you read what I wrote for eternal-charmer a little bit up, you'll see my reason. But I will try to make them longer. Anyway, thanks for the review!**

**purtyinpink71121**** see, she did found friends!! Tell you what, Charlotte will always be her friend, but the other four (or three) will have a bumpy relationship with Lily. ****Thanks for the review!!**

**Jasu****: Aww… thanks!!**

**JAMESandLILLYareCUTE****: I think no one likes hating James. He's just such a nice sweet hot snogable guy!! (I liked that word. It seems something Sirius would say. ****Lol. Anyway, thanks for the review!!**

**WhiteGreen****: yes, the other guy is Sirius. He was kind of stupid but hey, we all know he isn't like that **_**always**_**. Only half of his life.;) Thanks for the good luck!! ****I'll really need it tomorrow!!**

**Lisa****: yeah, they were really cruel. Thanks for the review!!**

**Blueholly****: the second way works better for me!! x), thanks for the review!!**

**Lsquared****: I hope the test goes well as well… I'm really nervous about it. Anyway, thanks for the review!! Yeah, Sirius is very blunt when we wants to, and a real jerk too!**

**Coreagurl****: Remus isn't a saint either. I never believe him to be; he only had a bit more conscious due to his furry little problem. But you'll see the other side of him too. Anyway, thanks!!!**

**against.the.mainstream****: he does apologize in this chapter… but as a saying from my people says "é sol de pouca dura"… now I leave it for you to find out what that means.lol. I'm evil. Thanks for the review and for the good luck!! (Next chapter I'll tell you what it means)**

**Silver-Trinity-Malfoy****: Lily is strong. She just wasn't expecting that from James. But you'll see how she puts herself together pretty fast. ****Thanks for the review!!!**

**Osmunda Regalis of Daybreak****: thanks for the compliment!!! And for the review!!**

**Firefly119****: yeah… really humiliating… thanks for the review!!**

**Lili-potter8907****: I know Petty is kind of lame. Just like I wanted it!!Lol. Anyway, yes, all four marauders met Petunia; Lily says she saw them by her window a few chapters back. Remus isn't really nice at first, but he'll change, don't worry!!**

**Jones****: yeah, she does think she's ugly. But sometime in the future she'll learn to see herself differently!!**

**J****: (whoever you are) (are you ****Jones****??) actually no, the beginning to this story wasn't written in geography, only the second and so chapters. The first was written while I was waiting for my swimming coach!! And I have no idea what made me want her to be French. Maybe is because I really like France?? Lol.**

**NOT AFRAID OF SPIDERS!****: sorry!! But I don't want lily to have a make up. This story is like a lesson, because people have to learn they're beautiful by what they are, and people have to like them by that. Maybe later into the story she'll try to make herself prettier, but it won't be that big of a difference. Anyway, thanks for the review!!**

**Stinkabhel****: I liked you ideas of punishments for the marauders… you missed Pettigrew though. But no problem, I'll just torture him until he begs to die. It's not like he doesn't deserves it…lol. Anyway, thanks for the review!!**

**Simply infatuated****: Lily is a very pacific person. But some times those kind of people are the worst… thanks for the review!!**

**NoTomorrow****: I answered you before, but I'm answering you again, because when I first read your review I didn't fully understand what you meant. So, no, Lily will NOT have a make up or anything like that. I don't think it'd be honest if James felt for her looks and not for her heart (okay, getting too philosophic for my taste).lol. Anyway, thanks for the review!!**

**Phew!! Wow… that took a lot of space!! But at least I answered everyone!!!**

**So, again (and as I am a very thankful person) THANK YOU ALL FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWS!!!**

**x)**

**Hope you do it again in this chapter!!!**

**Love**

**Hannah**


	8. 7th chapter

"Ten points for Gryffindor!" professor Slughorn, my new potions professor said as we heard the bell.

I smiled. My first day couldn't have been better. In each class I had that very first day, I had gotten at least twenty points for my house. That was likely to keep me in the good books of my own house, I thought.

"Ms. Evans, I would like to talk to you for a minute, if you don't mind."

I nodded as I put my things away slowly, not really paying attention. My mind wandered to what professor Slughorn wanted to speak with me about. Once everyone was out, I decided to approach his desk.

"Yes, sir?" I asked politely.

He smiled "Ms. Evans, when your file first came to Hogwarts, I was under the impression you were a normal student. You had an E at all your OWLs last year-"

"Actually, I failed History of Magic and Divination and had an Acceptable at many other subjects," I corrected "_Sir_." I added quickly.

He continued smiling, as if unaffected by my comment "As I was saying, you had an Exceed Expectations in almost all your OWLs, except for some cases," He added, regarding my comment, "But from what I saw in this class, you seem to be a natural in potions!"

I smiled, "I don't know if you noticed, Sir, but I had an Outstanding in my potions' OWL exam," I said. It was true; I had always been a natural at potions and charms. Somehow, they were the only subjects I was comfortable with and loved.

"Oh, you did?" he asked me surprise. I nodded, "Somehow, I must have missed it!" he said cheerfully "Anyway, that was not what I wanted to talk to you about. I have this little… club you may say. For the more gifted ones I think deserve the honour. I would be most pleased if you could come to out next meeting."

Now, I thought, how do I politely refuse? I had never been a fan of parties, especially one that looked so… _especial_, for lack of a better word.

"You coming then?" the man said without waiting for my answer "Good! This Friday night in my office. Now off you go!"

And he pushed me out of the classroom and closed the door behind me before I even had the time to blink. I sighed as I led my back on the door.

"You can just say you're sick," someone said "I've done that my first time and then I learned how to say 'no'."

I turned, surprised, to see Meagan there. "What are you doing here?" I asked the first thing that came to my head. Then, I blushed at what I've said. After all, if was supposed to live with the girl for the rest of the year, I should try at least to be nice, "I mean, I wasn't expecting to see you here!" I corrected myself.

She smiled "Well, I was talking to the girls as we were walking down to the Great Hall for dinner, and I was like 'she probably doesn't know her way around the castle!', so I thought that it'd be nice if I came to pick you up. The girls kept walking and I came back. Good thing I did, do you know who I found on my way down to the dungeons again? Adam Johnson. And now you're probably wondering who he is; well, he's just this super cute guy from Ravenclaw I had been trying to flirt with last year. Of course, he being older didn't help at all, but when I asked him what he was doing a while ago, I could see--"

At that, I dosed off. Alice wasn't kidding when she said Meagan would ramble the night away if we allowed her to.

"--And then he said it was good to see me as well and I was like-"

"Enough Santos," someone said. I looked thankfully to the voice only to have my eyes blazing with hate the moment I recognized the person who had spoken. Sirius Black was there "I think you've rambled enough," he said with a dazzling smile that would make my legs weaken had I not be concentrated in hating him with all my being.

"Oh… Sirius," she said. It seemed her legs did weaken. "Good to see you!"

He continued smiling that irritating but stunning smile of his, "It's a pleasure to see you Evans."

He had some nerve, that bloody idiot!! After how rude and a complete jerk he was to me on the train, he thought I'd simply forget it? Fat chance!

"For you," I answered sharply.

"Wow, wow! Calm down your horses!" he told me, the smile never leaving "What got your knickers in a twist?"

"Meagan," I said "can we go now? I'm starving."

She smiled "Sure Lily," she said "Anyway, it was good to see you Sirius. I hope we get to talk to each other more often," she said flirtatiously. And here I thought Fiona was the one who liked him!

"Hope so too," he said, stroking her face with his hand, "And you," he said, turning to me, "You'll be hearing at lot from me."

With that, he continued his way to wherever he was going before bumping into us, but not before giving us a grin that made Meagan sigh.

"Come on then, Lily," Meagan said, "And by the way, it's Meg."

I smiled, "Okay then, Meg."

We started our way to the Great hall again, Meagan, or Meg, once again launched in one more of her eternal ramblings.

(…)

Next day after lunch, Charlotte and I decided to take a walk through the grounds. After all, there was a lot of the school that we still had to know.

"You know Lily," she started, "I'm really sorry that you're in sixth year already."

I smiled at her as we sat down under a tree next to the lake and I took a book from my bag.

"Why?" I asked her.

She was trying to climb said tree when she answered me, "Because I'll only have two years with you. Besides, we don't even sleep in the same dormitory!"

I laughed "Come on, we're still in the beginning of the year!" she slipped on some branch and I got up, afraid she'd fall, "Get down here Charlotte! You may get hurt or something!"

She grinned as she looked down to me, "Now you seem like my mother. Don't fret!" she said, "I'm used to climbing trees!"

I sighed as I sat down again, with an eye always on her. I shook my head and smiled goofily, thinking she was right; I did seem like a mother.

"So," she asked once she was comfortingly sitting on the top of the tree, "have you spoken to James after yesterday morning?"

I shook my head "Not really. Whenever I saw him he was with that Black and the other two fellows, Lupin and Pettigrew," I told her "I don't want to have another row with that guy."

"Oh Lily," she said "That's stupid."

I looked at her with a smile tugging on my lips, "Is that so? And may I now why?"

"Because," she said exasperatedly, "You have to show him you're bigger than that. That you're not afraid of him or anything."

I shook my head, looking down at my book, "Every time I did that before I got problems somehow," I put my book away and looked up at her again, "I've never been good with talking to people and making friends."

I almost swore I saw her rolling her eyes as she spoke next, "Well, you went alright with your room mates and me, didn't you?"

"That's different," I told her, "You were the one who first spoke to me and so were my room mates."

"Lily, it almost seems you're the first year here," she told me.

I laughed. She was so right. Ever since the moment I had met Charlotte she had been surprising me.

For a simple first year she was incredibly clever and down to earth. She knew what to say and when to say it, and wasn't afraid of whatever could come her way.

She told me that, back in the train to Hogwarts, a guy had pulled on her pigtails and she had downright hexed him. He was probably a third year and was impressed by her performance. And so was professor Slughorn who, just as he had done to me, invited her to his club. She, like me, never had the chance to say no.

"You're quite right in there. After all, this is my first year here!"

She laughed, "That was not what I meant. Show your Gryffindor courage, for Merlin's sakes!"

I shook my head as I felt a presence from behind.

Turning, I was confronted with none other that the fellows in subject approaching me.

Black was on the front, Lupin and Pettigrew right behind him, talking about whatever. After the three, came James, who seemed he'd like to be anywhere else but there.

And to top that, after them, came what seemed to be a quarter of the Hogwarts' female population. Okay, they were cute, but no need to stalk them!, I thought.

"Look who's here all by herself!" Black said, smirking.

I looked up the tree to Charlotte to see her grasping her wand and glaring at Sirius. However, I decided not to let her presence known.

"Need something?" I asked "Because if you do, I don't think I can help you."

He laughed, making the two guys behind him and the girls laugh too. James kept looking away to the lake, seeming to me that he thought that was the most interesting thing ever.

"I was just wondering when you painted you hair," he asked me.

I raised my eyebrow "I never did."

"Really?" he asked me, in what was clearly faked surprised, "I never knew you could have bright green hair! But I guess it's to match your eyes…" he stopped "Wait, why are your eyes red? See, now the red hair would go well with that!"

I froze as I took a hand to my hair. Putting it in front of my eyes, I felt anger filling my body as I saw that I was no longer a red hair. My hair was now of a brilliant green.

Oh no, I thought, my eyes!! I quickly searched through my bag and finally found the mirror that was always there (don't ask me why). I almost screamed when I saw my eyes were indeed red. A dark red.

Everyone around me started laughing along with Black, while James just stood there like he had done all the way. I felt anger rising in me, not only against Black, but mostly against James, who was supposedly my friend and should at least try to defend me.

"Put it back to how it was!" I screamed at him, getting up.

"Put what back?" he asked bemusedly, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

I groaned, "My hair and my eyes! Put them back!" I yelled again.

He sighed, "Okay, okay, no need to get so angry."

I sighed in relief as he picked up his wand again and pointed it at me. He made a non-spoken spell and I closed my eyes, waiting to reopen them and found them once again green.

"Oops…" I heard. I quickly opened my eyes to see why he had said that, "Sorry," he told me, but he didn't seem sorry at all, "It seems I got the wrong spell!"

I stared at him bemusedly and placed my hand over my pocket to take my wand. To my surprised as I pointed him the wand, my hand was no longer white, but red, matching my new eye colour.

"What have you done?" I asked desperately.

"Sorry!" he told me again, "but, if you want my opinion, I do think those colours stay wonderful on you!"

Around him, everyone started to laugh again and I felt my head starting to spin. All the laugh was making my eyes blur and I didn't understand why. As I took my hand to my face I noticed I was crying. But I didn't want to cry.

I quickly wiped my tears and picked up my bag. I had to get out of there, run away from them, from the laughs, from the cruelty…

As I started to push through the crow, I looked back one more time, searching for Charlotte, only to lock my eyes with James' for the briefest of the seconds.

He mouthed "Sorry," but I didn't wait any longer. I didn't want to hear his sorry's anymore.

With one more look to see Charlotte coming after me, I started running to the castle.

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**Author's note: oh well… Lily's not really that lucky, is she??**

**Onwards, thank you all so much for the 30 reviews you gave me last chapter!! I loved them all!!**

**NoTomorrow****: James's not a bad guy… sometimes. Anyway, thanks for the review!**

**xxxHPxxx**** remember the night before Hogwarts? Yeah, that was why she forgave him. She thought what he did was a one time situation. About Lily's appearance… well, you'll hear it pretty soon. Once her hair comes back to normal. And her eyes. And her skin. ;) Anyway, thanks for the review!**

**Mangoes2oo5****: James does like her… in a weird way. I like Charlotte too, she's an amazing kid. Thanks for the review!**

**Osmunda Regalis of Daybreak****: yeah, that's exactly how James is. Confused. Lol. Thanks for the review!**

**purtyinpink71121****: it doesn't matter the length of the review!! I'm fine enough with the review itself! ;)**

**cookiemonster93****don't hate James, don't hate James, don't hate James… yeah, I hate him too. Lol. But he's a nice boy. He's just… confused.**

**greeneyez2****: Lily has a different kind of beauty. She's not ugly, like she thinks she is. But what matters is her inner beauty, and not many can see it.**

**Mmm****.: thanks!!! I'm glad you think so!!**

**bananalvr****: thanks! The idea seemed good to me too because of that. A new plot to refresh a little!**

**Firefly119****: she does try to tell Sirius off… the thing is that he won't budge that easy. Anyway, thanks for the review!**

**Simply infatuated****: yeah, she was lucky with her roommates. Although later in the story, Fiona and Anna won't make her life so easy. Fiona because she's way too much in love with Sirius (like Meagan so kindly put it) and Anna because she is a bit closed with people she doesn't know. Anyway, I'm giving away way too much of the plot!! Thanks for the review!**

**Coreagurl****: no, it wasn't a joke. He was actually sorry about what he had done. But, unfortunately, he's a little confused about what he should or not do. Thanks for the review!!**

**MiXeDuPmEsSeDbOoKs****: ohhh, you know you like them!! ;)**

**JAMESandLILLYareCUTE****: I'm not quite following what JK told us about James and Lily in her books. I'm actually diverging a lot from it. It's to refresh a little! Thanks for the review!!**

**Eternal-charmer****: she forgave him because she liked him. Besides, what he had done for her the night before was still too alive in her mind. Ah, my exams. Well, they went fine I guess. But unfortunately, they're not over yet. I still have mats next week and English (ironic, isn't it? I think my English teacher should give me a maximum grade just because I'm writing on fanfic. Speaking about that, I should ask him about it…xP)**

**Silver-Trinity-Malfoy****: she forgave James, and if you read the answers to the reviews above you understood why. And about her new 'friends'… well, she'll be okay with Alice and Meagan, but Fiona will make her life a bit difficult 'cause of Sirius. And Anna… well, she's a bit bitter to people she doesn't trust. Thanks for the review!!**

**LibraryGeek007****: thanks for the review!! And exactly because I still have exams next week, I'm writing on a Saturday instead of Sunday. Tomorrow will be all about studying!!**

**Lexy Granger****: Sirius **_**is**_** a jack-ass. No doubt. He just thinks too high of himself and doesn't understand when people don't! Anyway, thanks for the review!!**

**against.the.mainstream****: actually, I hadn't thought about getting them together until you mentioned it. We'll see as the story keeps going. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!!**

**Chill-C****: hi! I'm not sure if I've answered you already or not… I lost track of it, but I remember reading your review… so, if I have, I'm sorry for doing it again. And if I haven't, I'll answer now: Lily isn't ugly; she's the one who thinks she is because of her sister. She just has a different kind of beauty. And Sirius, well, he just pointed out that her eyebrows were weird. And when he broke off his sentence, he didn't actually mean she was ugly, because he knows she isn't. He just meant it was impossible to compare her to her sister but, being Sirius the reckless he is, it sounded like he thought she was ugly.**

**Jones****: ah, sorry for thinking you were J (it's just as you name is Jones, well… you get my point). ****Anyway, I really appreciate you review!! ;)**

**firewalker32****: thanks!!!!**

**Chilipeper****: you have to understand she was incredibly mad with him and the rest of the marauders. I think if she had actually been sorted into Slytherin, she'd quit as fast as the wind!! Anyway, Bella, I don't know. She might appear once Lily starts having problems with the Slytherin folks. Lily's room mates aren't that bad. They are just… different and they all will show it as the story keeps going. She was mad at the rest of them (the marauders I mean) and, thanks to Charlotte, her Gryffindor courage and her red hair temper will be shown, don't worry!! Thanks for the review!!**

**COULK:**** yeah… they won't prank her roommates (because there's more to them than you think), but Sirius will effectively be a little nasty to Lily, like he starts being in this chapter. Anyway, thanks for the review!!**

**Estrelas****: to you I know I've answered since I did it just today!! Lol, anyway, again, thanks for the review!!**

**Jenny****: thanks for the review!! Hope you keep reading!!**

**Blondewivbrains****: well… Lily will become less shy. Especially because of a certain first year that seems older than she really is. Lily isn't ugly, she's the one who thinks that. She just has a different kind of beauty. Thanks for the review!!**

**There!! I've finished answer everyone!!**

**And now… ****REVIEW people!!!**

**Thanks**

**Hannah**


	9. 8th chapter

After my not so pleasant encounter with Sirius Black, I decided I could afford skipping classes that afternoon.

Charlotte offered to stay with me, but, as a first year, she couldn't miss class. She was only starting her education, she needed all the information she could get.

Instead of going to my dormitory and probably crying my eyes out, I went to the library and searched on eyes, hair and skin changing spells. Only to find the library, it took me at least one hour!

But the spells Black had used… those weren't as hard to find. Like I thought firstly, he had used basic spells- he probably didn't want to use more advanced spells, because I highly doubted he was anything near dumb. I couldn't believe I hadn't recognized the spells right away.

After that, and when all my colours were back in place, I decided to go back to the dormitory and just sleep the entire afternoon. My intentions were, however, put into second place, as I entered my room and saw a brownish owl waiting. A brownish owl I had never seen in my entire life.

When she saw me, she started howling and I approached her, taking the three letters she was bringing which were probably for me. My heart sunk as I saw that the first letter had the Potter chest on it. Quickly, I tore it open and read it. It was from Mrs. Potter:

"_Dear Lily,_

_I hope you're faring well in school. I was talking to your parents yesterday when I accidentally mentioned Hogwarts. They told me you were a witch as well!_

_I was really excited to know it. I'm sending you this letter to invite you to James Birthday ball in the end of November. __He's coming off age and we're thinking in doing something big! Your sister is coming as well and you're allowed to bring a guest._

_Anyway, hope you can come! Talk with James for details__, dear._

_Dorea__h Potter."_

My heart thumped crazily as I re-read it. I was sure Mrs. Potter had no idea of who her son really was in school: a disgusting coward. I couldn't stop the venom that was starting to run through my veins every time I thought of him.

And now there it was, his mother inviting me to his birthday. Well, I wasn't going. There was no way in hell I'd be giving him the chance to humiliate me. Again.

I dropped Mrs. Potter letter's on my bed as I sat down, the others still in my hand. A warning thought ran through my head: if Mrs. Potter knew I was a witch, then so did my parents know James was a wizard… and so did Petunia…

But why was I worrying about that? Hadn't I decided James Potter was a disgusting coward I never wanted to see again? Still, I couldn't shake the feeling in my chest every time I thought about him and Petunia together…

_Petunia_.

In that moment I just guessed who one of the other letters was from. Of course it was from her…

I quickly looked at it and, sure enough, I saw my sister's neat writing. I opened it.

"_Lily,_

_I can't believe you didn't tell me James was a wizard! I had perfection next to me and I didn't even know it!_

_I bet you wanted him all to himself, probably to give him some sort of venom to make him yours! You wished! With that nerdy attitude, he'll never even think twice. Besides, did you see how he looked at me? He's so head over heels for me._

_By the way, did you notice how my English improved? Mum and dad are really proud._

_Anyway, just writing to tell you to keep your hands off my boyfriend. I'm just sorry he can't leave school right away… I'd_ love_ to see him. Either way, Doreah told me to send him a letter with this same owl, so it won't be long before he knows I'm willingly to be his _girlfriend.

_Toddles_

_Petunia_

_Ps: mum and dad said you had to go to James' birthday, although I'd prefer you not to__. So, if you can just get sick or something, I'll be most pleased."_

Great, I was going to be forced to go to James Potter's birthday _ball_. A _ball_ for Merlin's sake!

Then another thing dawned on me: the third letter was for James! That was why the owl was still there! Smirking, a plan formed itself in my mind.

"Don't worry," I told the animal, "I'll give it to him."

The owl seemed to think over what I said, and then, in a swift move, went back out of the window. I sighed in relief.

And then what I had just done fell on me: I had just stolen a letter!!

What was I going to do? The most obvious thing was to give it back. After all I wasn't about to keep something that wasn't for me.

But, on the other hand, I would get even from both James and Petunia… if only…

No!, my mind screamed, I'd not sink as low as them. That wasn't me, I wasn't like that. I would just go down to his dormitory and place it at his bedside table. He didn't need to know.

Of course, that was just what I was going to do.

(…)

As I descended the stairs to the seventh year boys' dormitory, I kept re-thinking what I was about to do. What if someone saw me? What would I say?

Obviously the truth, I remembered, sarcastically. However, I wasn't seeing that happening so easily. I'd probably start choking while doing so, and everyone would think I was just trying to see Sirius' Black naked._ Great_.

I took a deep breath outside the door and, in one hurried move, opened it, entered and closed it behind me. I leaned against the door and sighed.

Then I looked around me, and all I could do was laugh. That dormitory was simply horrible! There were clothes all over the floor and nothing seemed to be in place. Books were half underneath the beds, and even boxers all over it.

Disgusting.

My mind gave a little shriek as I understood there was no way in hell I'd be able to find James' bed in all that mess. I started looking around for any help when the door went open, sending me crashing into the floor. I froze as a male voice rang:

"What are you doing here?"

I turned to face James Potter's confused face. He stretched his hand to help me, but I declined it, getting up on my own. Picking the letter from where it had fallen, I shoved it to his hands.

"Came to bring you a letter from my sister," I said coldly, "But couldn't really find my way in this mess."

He flinched under my tone as he looked at the letter and then at me "Oh… thanks," he said

I nodded and was about to get out when a shiver went down my arm. I turned to see him grabbing it. "I'm glad you were able to take the spells off," he told me awkwardly.

"Not thanks to you," I said as coldly as before.

He sighed "I know. I'm sorry for that, I just wasn't sure of what to do. I didn't know Pa-_Sirius_ would take it that far."

I stared at him in surprise. After all that bullshit, all he had to say was _sorry _and I didn't think what's-his-name would_ take it that far_?

"That's it?" I asked "You say sorry and you think it's done?"

He looked at me bemusedly "Well, I had no fault in that," he stated.

I gave him a mirthless laugh, "So your best friend just humiliated me in front of the entire school, you were there and didn't do anything, then you just say sorry, it wasn't your fault and I'm supposed to be okay with it?" I finished shouting.

"But it wasn't!" he said "Okay, sorry for not have stopped him. Besides, he wasn't humiliating you! He was just trying to know you!"

I laughed again "Well, your friend sure has a weird way of getting to know people," I remarked sarcastically.

"He doesn't know any other," James stated simply.

I shook my head in disappointment "Just forget it _Potter._ Just… forget it." I told him icily, making him let go of me and walking out.

However, just as I was about to close the door, I remembered something and opened it again, "You know what? You and Petunia are perfect for each other. Good luck with that, hope you two leave happily ever after far _far_ away."

As I walked off, but I couldn't help but hear his answer, "Maybe we will."

A wild feeling taking over me, I ran up the stairs and launched myself on my bed, crying all that I could.

(…)

The next days were hard for me. That's the only word to describe them. Hard.

It seemed to me that Black, or _Padfoot_, as I heard the other three calling him, seemed to want to "know me" deeper. I swear those first days were worst than everything I had ever seen. And believe me, I had seen a lot.

Charlotte shown me she was much more than cuteness and sweetness. She was witty as well. She even hexed Black one time, after he had put me in the air, hanging upside down.

He started scratching himself up and down while Charlotte laughed alone, as everyone else was scared to do that. Surprisingly, none of the marauders hexed her back, and the sandy haired one and J-_Potter_ tried to suppress their laughs as they looked at Black.

But that wasn't my only problem in Hogwarts. In only two weeks of school, I was already sure I'd fail transfiguration; even Alice agreed, she had never seen someone so bad at that subject.

Professor McGonagall tried all that she could to help me, but I was just helpless. In the end, there was only one solution left for me…

"Ms Evans, you'll be tutored."

I had stayed behind after my last class on that day, because my Head of House said she wanted to speak with me. I thought it was because of some essay I, once again, had had a T. Yeah, I know, T, which stands for troll…

"Tutored professor?" I asked just to make sure I had heard it right. It wasn't exactly an exciting idea.

"Yes," she said strictly, "The fastest you start the best," she said

"Professor, I don't think that'll be neces-"

"Ms Evans, believe me it is," she cut in, "You're a walking disaster!" she said very bluntly. Tell me something I don't know, I thought.

"I apologise," she said.

Wow. I was at the school at some weeks and already I had a professor apologizing to me. That had got to be good, I thought sarcastically.

"You start tonight. Be in the library at eight," she continued as if she hadn't just called me a walking disaster and then apologized for it.

I sighed as I resigned myself, "Very well," I told her, "May I know who will be my tutor?" I asked curiously.

"Yes. I have gotten you one of my best seventh year students, who agreed to do it for some extra credits. Not that he needs it," she mumbled. Was it just me or she was being kind of… not McGonagall?

"Oh," I said, still wondering who was the best seventh year student she had chosen. Probably a Ravenclaw, I thought. "Thank you professor,"

"You're welcome. You may go now," she told me.

I nodded and exited the room moodily. A tutor… all that I really needed...

"You're being tutored?" Alice asked as soon as I exited the room. I shirked as I looked at her, scared half way to death. Then, I smiled.

The two of us had grown closer the last few weeks. I found out Meagan and Fiona, although always fighting, couldn't live without one another because, if Meagan could ramble, Fiona was the queen of gossip.

Then there was Anna and Alice. Anna, like I was warned, never talked more than she should, not even in class, although everyone could see she was bright. She mostly hung out with Alice and me or Shaun Patil, her three years long boyfriend. That left me Alice, who seemed as needed of a friend as I was. And Charlotte, of course. But, she too, had to split her time between me and Alice- Alice too had adored Charlotte at once- and her friends from first year, whom she seemed to be the leader of.

"Yeah," I said.

"Well, it's not like you don't need it," she reasoned.

I looked at her and laughed, "Why, thank you!" I said.

She immediately blushed but laughed as well, "It's true!"

I nodded "I know, I know," I said, "I start tonight. Alice, do you know who the brightest seventh year students at transfiguration are?"

She shrugged, "No idea," she told me, "One way to find out. You'll go won't you?"

I nodded as I kept walking, "Of course. Dinner?" I asked.

"Sure. Lead the way," she said, but, as she looked at me, she shook her head, "Forget it. I should lead the way."

We laughed. After more than two weeks, I still hadn't learnt how to get from the transfiguration classroom to the Great Hall. Actually, from anyplace in the castle to the Great Hall.

(…)

After finishing dinner, Alice, Charlotte, Anna and I went back to the tower. Charlotte wished me good luck for the tutoring, although she had a smirk on her face, before going to her friends. Alice, Anna and I went to our dormitory. After I left my books there- except the transfiguration material- Anna offered to walk me to the library, which was pretty much a miracle.

I accepted and we decided to start making our way. "With some luck," Alice whispered before we got out, "You'll have a hot tutor."

I snorted as Anna smiled next to me. We got out of the portrait hole with Anna leading the way.

"So" I said, trying to form small talk, "Shaun's waiting for you in the library?" I asked.

"Yes," she said "I'm helping him."

I raised my eyebrow, "I thought he was a seventh year?"

Anna shrugged "He is," she said in the same vague tone she always had, as if she never trusted anyone enough to say more. I shrugged as well and we kept walking.

Once we entered the library we parted ways; she went to where Shaun was- it was still weird to see her smile with such ease at him- and I started looking, trying to guess how I'd know who my tutor was.

Finally, my eyes fell on the gaze of Professor McGonagall.

"Ms Evans," she acknowledged, "I'm glad you came."

"Professor," I said bewildered. She wasn't supposed to be there. What if I was to be tutored by her? "May I ask why you're here?"

She nodded, "I remembered I hadn't told you who your tutor would be, so I came to make sure you knew."

I nodded, "Okay," I said, "Where is she?"

She looked at me and I swear I saw her lips curving upwards. "It's a he" she said, "And… ah, there he is!" she said, looking at the library's doors.

I turned as well and my jaw felt. I quickly turned back to McGonagall, "Professor, I can't be tutored by him!"

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**Authors note: hi!! I know this chapter doesn't say much, but I had to make time walk forward and say a few things I said in this chapter. I'm really exciting about writing the next ones!!!**

**Sorry for taking so long in upd****ating, but I did what I could. I wrote this chapter four times!! I promise next chapter will be out no longer than next week.**

**Anyway, thanks so much for everyone who reviewed!!! I was incredibly happy with them!**

**I tried to answer everyone, but the ones I wasn't able to contact by fanfiction, I'll answer here:**

**Evie: thank you!!!!! A film? It'd be interesting, I think!**

**Jenny: a-w-e-s-o-m-e. ****I can spell it!! (lol. ;D) anyway, thanks!**

**MiXeDuPmEsSeDbOoKs: everyone loves them!!! Thanks for the review!!**

**Anyway, thanks for all the wonderful reviews!!! I adored them all!**

**And now one thing left… review!!!**

_**Hannah**_


	10. 9th chapter

"I can't be tutored by him!" I told professor McGonagall, but she seemed unfazed by what I had just said as she raised one single perfectly done eyebrow at me.

"Unless you prefer to fail Transfiguration, Ms. Evans, you will be tutored by him," she told me in her most polite voice, where you could perfectly see she was smiling inside, laughing even. Then, as if it wasn't her problem anymore, she said, "And now, if you excuse me, I shall be going. I have better things to do. Good luck."

I'm sure she wasn't wishing good luck to me…

And I just watched her turn her back on me and exit the library with the same ease she always seemed to have, without any other word from either side.

I turned my angry gaze to the guy that was now settling himself in one of the tables and with a small smirk on his face that just pissed me off.

"Just settle down Lily," he said calmly, like he wasn't one of my biggest enemies from that school, "We should start now."

I didn't know his name, which was weird, but I knew he was one of the so called Marauders. And Marauders meant problems and humiliation for me. I wanted them as far away as I could. _All_ of them.

"Écoutez," I started, "I know you don't want to do this as much as I; so why don't you just walk out of that door and I can teach myself whatever you were supposed to?" ("Listen,")

He looked at me with a calm expression, the same he seemed to always have. Damn him! "You see, I believe you're wrong in that," he told me, "I'm actually looking forward to do this."

I raised my eyebrow, "If you think I'll let you-"

"The only thing," he said with a powerful voice, effectively cutting me off, "I'm here to do, is teach you," he said, "Now would you please just sit and let me start?"

I eyed him suspiciously. What was he on about? Could it be possible that he wasn't thinking in pranking me in any way?

I asked him as much. He answered me with laugh in his voice, "For as much as I do find it funny how Sirius gets to know people sometimes, I do have my own ways, and none of them includes harming people in any way."

I just kept eyeing him and trying to decide if he was trusty. After five minutes of gazing at him, I finally let down my things into the table and sat next to him. What was the worst that could possibly happen?, I asked myself

"Great," he said, "I'm Remus Lupin, by the way. Can we start then?"

I nodded, "Don't you think-", I started saying threateningly again.

"I'm not thinking anything," he said, once again cutting me off, "The only thing in my mind right now is teaching you."

"Très bien," I said at last as I opened my book and placed my wand on the table, near my hand, to show him I was ready for whatever was to come. ("Very well,")

There was something about this guy that wasn't well… although not as handsome as James and Sirius, there was something about him that definitely caught my eye. He seemed- not kidding here- kind. A Marauder that seemed _kind_.

This was going to be good.

"Good then!" he said happily, a smile in face, "Believe me it could be worst. James was McGonagall's first option, you know? But I took the place instead as I know you two don't get along that well."

I didn't answer him as I stared at my hands "Now," he said, interrupting my thoughts of how my hands seemed so small, "Can you show me what exactly you _can't_ do?"

I looked at him and smirked. He was so not ready for me.

(…)

"Wait a minute, wait a minute…" Charlotte said to me next morning as I told her how my night in the library had been, "You were tutored by a _marauder_?" she asked me stupefied. I smiled and nodded.

"I know it seems impossible."

The night before, after fifteen minutes of endless explications from none other than Remus Lupin, the _Marauder_, he finally got to the conclusion I wasn't going to be that easy to tutor. After one hour, he seemed as tired as if he had run three entire marathons. But at least when we ended I was able to change the colour of my snail! Sort off at least…

Moving on, after we were finished, he insisted on making me company to the common room, which I, after five denies, had to accept, as I remembered it was that or probably spending the night in one of the many hallways of Hogwarts.

"Which one?" Alice put in as she looked at me with a curious face.

"Ce gars Lupin. Remus," I said. ("That guy, Lupin.")

She sighed dreamily "Oh yeah. I know who he is," Alice said "He's simply sweet, you know? Nothing to do with James or Sirius. Or Peter for that matter. He's more the boyfriend type, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah," Charlotte said "Remus is nice guy."

I raised an eyebrow at her, "And how would you know, Charlie?" I asked as she seemed to squirm in her chair, "Do you know him?"

"Well… kind of," she admitted, "But the point is," she cut in quickly "He is nice."

I nodded, "Oui. Or at least he was."

Speaking of Remus Lupin, I remembered James, and his birthday ball suddenly came to my mind. I would have to go, as my parents would force me to, but I had no idea of what to wear or how to go for that matter. Hell, I didn't even know when it was going to be and where!

Also, I still hadn't told anyone about it. You have a good chance now, my mind told me. I sighed.

"Speaking of Marauders," I started, "Have you heard about James' birthday ball?" I asked.

Immediately, not only Alice and Charlotte, but everyone turned to me- everyone being Charlotte's little friends, Meagan, Fiona and everyone that was in hearing reach.

"Of course we have! That is like… the most waited ball _ever_! I mean ever since James Potter exits everyone wants to go to his off age ball! It's going to be huge, only important people will be there and it's going to be marvellous and-"

"Okay Meg," Alice said "We got it."

"Point is," Fiona told me "Only important and beautiful people are invited. I think all seventh years are going- except for the Slytherins of course."

"Yeah, and Fiona was invited!" Meagan said rather happily, "As her grandparents worked with James' parents the whole family received an invitation!"

I nodded, "Oh, how… nice," I told them.

"I bet you would like to go," Fiona put in evilly, as she looked down on me, "But it's only for few, the ball," she said as she gave me a "not-to-people-like-you-ball" stare.

An unexpected anger erupted in me and I smiled rather violently at her "Bien," I started, and finally noticed I was beginning to understand how things worked at Hogwarts. Or at least with Fiona. "I received a personal invitation from Doreah. Oh, I meant Mrs. Potter, James' mother." ("Well")

Their jaws all felt as they gave my incredulous looks, "No way," Meagan said excitedly, "You're going?"

I nodded. "I don't believe it," Fiona said, looking me in the eyes, "And you all shouldn't too. She _couldn't_ have been invited."

Alice raised an eyebrow at her, "Why not?" she asked.

"Look, if you don't want to believe me, why don't you just owl her or something?" I told her, "Maybe then you'll believe me."

She looked at me with a doubtful look again before she smirked maliciously. "I have a better idea," she said, "Why don't we ask James himself? If you have been invited, then he must know, right?"

My heart gave a big lump as she said those words. I hadn't even thought if James wanted me in his birthday party or not! What if he didn't want me to be there? What if his mother had forced him to invite me? What if he didn't even _know_ she had invited me?

"Alright," I said at last as I nodded. I couldn't back down or I knew it would be worst, "Go ahead."

Her smirk got larger as she turned her gaze to where the marauders sat "Oy! James!" she called out.

His head turned to her immediately and he smiled "Fiona," he nodded.

"Could you come here, please?" she asked, "It's really important!"

He raised an eyebrow at her but came to where we were sitting anyway, sliding down between Fiona and Meagan. "What may I be of help, fair Lady?"

She giggled. "So," she said, "We were just here talking about you birthday ball in November."

He nodded with a smile, but his eyes gave in the boredom he was in, "What about it?"

"Well… we were wondering if Lily here was invited. I mean, she's saying she was, but I just can't belie-"

"Of course she was," James interrupted calmly, as if it was the most normal thing in the whole world.

Fiona looked at him in disbelief and I tried my best not to show the gratitude I was feeling for him in that moment. He didn't deserve it, even if he was being nice to me. "She is?" she asked, probably not believing what she had heard.

"Yeah," he said, "I told my mum myself I wanted her there."

Now that surprised me; he had actually wanted me to go?

Not giving me time to ponder that, his gaze turned to me, and I could see the amusement in his eyes, "By the way Lily," he started "I still haven't told you about what day it is and stuff like that. Mum said you never told her if you were actually going or not."

Trying to hide my awkwardness, I cleaned my throat and managed a small smile "I…uh… I was busy," I said, "Give her my apologies and inform her I'm going, _please._"

James nodded "Of course. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be going. Talk to you later Lils. See you girls!"

And he dashed away, leaving Fiona stunned. Alice was nodding approvingly and Charlotte was smiling. Anna, as usually, kept eating as if nothing that was happening bothered her much.

"You weren't kidding," Fiona said, a somewhat disappointed tone in her voice.

I shook my head. Charlotte, who was sitting next to me, was grinning as she hugged me, "Thank Merlin you're going!" she told me, "At least now I'll have company. I was dreading to be all by myself in that party."

I smiled back at her, as Meagan thrown her an envious look and Fiona just looked away, "You're going too, then?" I asked.

She nodded, "I'm forced to."

I raised my eyebrow "Pourquoi?" I asked her and she looked at me strangely. Smiling I clarified, "I meant why?"

She shrugged, "You know how it is: pureblood families are always connected one way or another."

Now that intrigued me: it was a known truth that pureblood families were almost always related in some way; I had never really thought Charlotte could actually be in that role as well. What would she be to James?

As I was preparing to voice my question, Charlotte and the other five little first year girls got up, "We're going now," she told me "We have potions and it's a long way to the dungeons."

I nodded, taking a mental note to ask her that question later. "Alright," I said, "See you at lunch."

"Bye," they all chorused as they exited the Great Hall.

"We should be going too," Anna said, standing up. We all stood up as well and followed her out of the Great Hall, preparing to endure one hour of Defence Against the Dark Arts.

(…)

"Evans, my dear!"

I groaned to myself as I kept walking. That voice was becoming so familiar to me that I needn't turn to know who it was.

"C'mon. It's not polite to ignore people!"

I snorted, "You'd know about being polite to people," I whispered and only Alice and Anna, who were next to me listened. Alice laughed and Anna left her lips form a line that seemed a lot like a smile.

"What was that?" we heard him ask, as his footsteps seemed to be getting closer. By the sound of it, he was alone.

I ignored him and kept walking calmly. Why didn't he leave me once and for all? For weeks he had been doing that to me, _weeks_. Why wouldn't he just get… tired or something?

"Evans, you're being incredibly rude," he said once again.

"Oui," and I couldn't stop myself from speaking loud enough for him to hear, "Because you're simply chevaleresque." ("chivalrous")

"I'll pretend I understood what you just said," he told me, "And that it wasn't anything bad."

"Si tu le préfère de cette façon… mais t'es toujours stupide et grossier d'une manière ou d'une autre," I told him, rather happily as I knew he didn't understand. ("If you prefer it that way... but you're still stupid and rude either way.")

"I don't know if you noticed, but you're not in France or wherever you came from anymore," he told me as he grabbed my wrist and made me turn around. Anna and Alice turned as well, looking at him.

"Sirius, why won't you just leave her for a second?" Alice asked, "She has never done anything to you."

"Alice, Alice, Alice…" he said, in a disapproving tone, "I'm wounded by your words. I'm just welcoming her to Hogwarts!"

"Then you mustn't worry. We can do that ourselves." Anna said unexpectedly. Even Sirius looked at her surprised.

"Why future-Mrs. Patil, I didn't even know you could speak!"

"Well, now you do," she sneered at him, "But trust me when I say I'm much better with unspoken spells."

I looked at her amazed. That was the most coherent conversation I had heard from her.

"Am I being threatened?" he asked her with the same voice he used before.

Anna didn't answer. I smiled as Alice did too, "I don't think she believes _that_ deserves an answer." she informed him.

If anything, his smile got wider and he looked at us with dangerous eyes.

"She doesn't, does she?"

Anna just turned her back on him and continued her way through the hallway.

Now Sirius seemed mad. Alice giggled, "Bye Sirius," she said as she followed Anna.

I followed her as well, even more amaze than before. Never had I thought she had such courage in her! The kind of courage I lacked and that left me wondering why I was in Gryffindor still.

However, as we were reaching the end of the hallway, I turned around to look at Sirius. And just in time too, to see him send a hex our way…

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: an update just in time, like I promised! Next one maybe, just **_**maybe**_**, will be out this week too. There'll be a lot of James and Lily interaction in it and well… you wait and see. But I'm not giving any sure as I have an English test tomorrow and I have to get a good grade. So… wish me luck! **

**I got you on that one, didn't I? I bet no one ever thought of Remus as ****the tutor. I admit that the first time I thought about it, I wanted it to be James, but then I thought better and decided against it. It would be just too… cliché.**

**Now, like last chapter, I'll answer here the ones I can't answer by fanfiction.**

**MiXeDuPmEsSeDbOoKs: thanks!!!**

**Reader: I'm glad you like it!!!**

**Jenny****: thanks for reviewing**

**xxHPxx: I bet you were expecting it to be James, am I right??Lol. There, it was Remus! ;P**

**Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed or just read!! **

**See you next time!!**

**Hannah**


	11. 10th chapter

I don't know what exactly happened in that moment.

As I saw Black sending a spell that was directed to Anna, who, just moments before had stood up for me, something inside of me reacted.

I don't know how to explain it, but a sudden courage I never knew I had before erupted from me and, next thing I knew, I was making a shielding charm and then disarming Sirius Black. All went by me in rush and, next thing I noticed, Black was lying on the floor his eyes wide at me in surprise as Alice and Anna were looking stunned.

"Lily," Alice, the first to get out of the trance, said, rather nervously, "Lily!" she repeated as if it was the only word she knew.

Anna nodded at me with a new glint in her eyes, "Thanks," she said.

"Let's say we're even," I told her as she, for the second time that day, smiled.

Then I looked back at Black and the weight of what I had just done felt on me; I had not only stopped his hex but also I had hexed him back! I had hexed Sirius Black! _Sirius_ Black! _Sirius Black_!

My head was screaming his name franticly over and over again and I looked in disbelief at him as he got up slowly and dusted himself. Looking at my hand I found his wand there.

Then I surprised myself even further: instead of being afraid and regretful or even feeling guilty of what I had just done, all I felt was a marvellous sense of accomplishment. I can't say I wasn't afraid of what Black would do to me in return, but I just thought it was worthy. Only if Charlotte saw me now…

Black interrupted my cheerful thoughts as he started walking in my direction. He stopped right in front of me and locked eyes with me. Instead of looking down, I looked up at him defiantly.

"Do you have any idea of what you've just done?" he asked me in a hiss.

I shrugged but didn't answer. Why would I, after all, if an image spoke more than a thousand words? And I standing up against him definitely spoke more than I could ever.

He, however, didn't wait for me to finish talking, simply extending his hand for his wand. I gave it to him and I clenched mine so hard my fingers almost turned white.

It wouldn't hurt to be prepared.

A few more seconds- which seemed like hours to me- went by as he still only glared to me, trying to pierce my eyes with his own.

Then, at last, when I thought I'd crack if he kept staring, he took a step back and… laughed.

No kidding.

He started laughing as if there was no tomorrow and I simply stared at him. Behind me, I could hear Alice chuckling after a while and even heard a small chuckle from Anna.

I was so not getting it.

In some time, Black was doubled and I just stared at him incredulously. Alice was laughing as well and, as I looked at her, Anna kept grinning.

"What the hell is going on here?" I asked at last, bewildered more than ever, "I can't see the joke!"

Black looked at me at last but he seemed incapable to stop laughing.

"How… how… can… you… not… find it… funny!" he said between laughs.

I raised my eyebrow, "What?" I asked exasperated.

Alice was finally calming down, but Sirius was still laughing his head off.

"Merlin what did you do to him?" I heard a voice ask behind me. I turned and saw James there, immediately turning my confused expression into a scowl.

I still hadn't forgiven him, "Did you hex him not to stop laughing or something??"

My tutor was next to him, as well as the fourth blue eyed marauder. "I doubt it," Remus said, "You know Padfoot laughs even at the stupidest thing."

"If you want to know," I started, raising my hands, "I didn't do anything. _Rien._"

"Sorry… guys," Black said, as he sat on the floor. The entire situation was starting to look a little ridiculous to me.

"I believe you, don't worry," Remus said, as he patched Black on the back a little too forceful if you ask me.

Sirius finally controlled himself as he stood up, but still with laugh attacks every now and then. "Now can you explain why you were laughing so hard?" I asked.

"Well," he started, "I just find it funny that you reacted so fast."

I raised my eyebrow, "Okay… care to explain?"

He rolled his eyes, "I mean, I have hexed you without mercy these past weeks-"

"Good to know you're aware of what you've been up to."

He continued as if I hadn't interrupted him "And you never even screamed at me about it. Well, only that first time, but then Charlie was the one that always stood up for you."

Charlie?, I thought, since when was she Charlie to them?

"Anyway, now that I, for once, don't try to hex you but future Mrs.-Patil-"

"_Anna,_" Anna said. I blinked. I had no idea she cared when people called her future Mrs. Patil. After all, everyone knew she would marry him someday.

"Okay, when I was hexing _Anna_ you finally decide you have had enough and block my hex!"

"That's Pads for you," James added but I ignored him.

"And disarms you," Alice added. Sirius pouted at that. It seemed not to be very usual for people to disarm him.

I looked at him in bemusement. He thought that was funny? "Mon Dieu, you do have a twisted logic!" I said. ("My God")

They laughed and then we stood there awkwardly, looking at each other's faces

"We should be going," the little blue eyed boy, the fourth marauder, finally said, breaking the tension.

Immediately, everyone was nodding, "Yeah, yeah, we should…" Remus said.

I continued staring at them and trying to understand what that entire scene had meant.

"See you around Evans, Alice, _Anna,_" Sirius said, looking pointedly at her. Uh… weird, I thought.

"Girls," Remus said as James and Peter just nodded and- did I really see it? - James winked at me.

They continued down the long hallway as I turned back to Alice and we started following Anna, who had resumed our way. "What the hell was that?" I asked.

Alice shrugged "I have absolutely no idea," she said "But that was definitely… _odd._"

Finally, I laughed, "Odd?? That was more than odd!!"

Alice started laughing as well, but a loud pierce made us both turn around in confusion.

Then, our laughs increased. There, in the ceiling, was Sirius Black, his ears ten times bigger, jumbo-like fashion. They kept moving around, as if he had no control over it.

"Coming?" I turned to see Anna looking at us bored, and we simply nodded as we continued following her.

I looked at Alice as she nodded at me. She too had noticed Anna's bored expression was in fact a satisfied smirk.

And she hadn't even said a word.

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"Hello Lily!" I turned and smiled later that day as I was doing some essays with the girls in the common room.

"Hi," I said back to Charlotte, "All done with your homework?" I asked.

She shrugged, "No, not really," I raised my eyebrow, "Don't worry, I'll copy it later or something!"

I opened my mouth in surprise, "Charlotte!" I lectured in my most mother-like voice "If you copy things you will never learn!"

"That's not exactly true," someone said as he sat in the vacant chair that belonged to Anna who- once again- was with Shaun. I smiled. Remus.

"Really now?" I said "For some reason I'm being tutored at transfiguration and it _sure_ isn't for _doing_ my homework."

It was Charlotte's- and Remus'- time to gasp at me, "You copied your homework?" she asked me in disbelief.

I laughed, "I am not such a goody-two-shoes as you made me out to be," I said, "Elodie- one of my roommates- was the one who made mine and Mado's homework. At least at the most boring subjects."

"Yeah, yeah," she said "But you turned out just fine, didn't you?"

I laughed again, "But she's right you know," Remus continued "Pro- _James_ and Sirius have been copying my homework ever since we've been friends and they're the top students at Hogwarts."

I nodded, "Yeah, yeah. But Charlotte here _is_ making her homework," I stated, "Now sit down here and take your stuff. I'm not letting you go until everything's done."

She nodded, "Alright, alright."

While she went to pick her things, I continued my homework, but only to be interrupted by Remus again, "So you're going to James' party?"

I nodded, "But not because he wants me there or something," I found myself saying "I'm his neighbour and his mother invited me. And my parents are forcing me to go."

Liar, I thought. He had told me- and the girls- he wanted me there. Or was it just because he didn't like Fiona?

Remus shook his head, "Actually, he likes you," he said, "He thinks of you as a younger sister-"

"Because of _Petty_, I know," I cut dryly.

He nodded as he smiled, "I still can't believe you're Petunia's sister. I mean, you're two are completely different! She has blue eyes and-"

"-blonde hair and I have green eyes and orange-" I continued

"Actually, I think its red hair," he interrupted me.

I looked at him and smiled, "Does it really matter?"

"Actually it does," Charlotte said as she sat next to me, taking a parchment out of her bag to start her homework, "Maybe if you accepted you have red hair and not orange hair, you'd start to accept other things too."

…

Whatever that meant.

I raised my eyebrow at her, "You know, just because your hair is raven and with unruly curls it doesn't me-", I cut myself off. Wait a minute, I thought. Things were starting to make sense! She had actually never told me her surname… Black had called her Charlie _and_ she had black raven hair… and to add, she was going to James' out of age ball, which _surely_ wasn't for kids.

I turned to her with a surprised expression, "You're a Potter, aren't you?" I asked disbelievingly, completely forgetting the former conversation.

She shifted in her place, "A Potter? What do you mean?"

I rolled my eyes. She was avoiding the question "You belong to James' family, am I right?"

She looked down and mumbled something I couldn't comprehend. Remus rose an eyebrow at me, "You mean you didn't know?" He asked me as he laughed, "You think she'd hex Sirius, and actually laugh about it, if she wasn't?"

"I didn't tell you," she started, and I saw her eyes welling up as she refused to meet my own "Because after what you told me about James and what Sirius did to you I thought you'd never speak to me again!"

"So that's where all the courage comes from," I said.

"I'm sorry Lily! I know I should have told you but… but…" she stopped suddenly as she looked at the floor, "Are you mad?"

I chewed over that question. Was I mad with the person that had helped me most because she hadn't told me who her family was?

…

Not bloody likely.

"Of course not _silly,_" I said as I smiled and ruffled her hair, "I'm just… surprised."

She nodded, "Sorry."

"What are you?" I asked at last, "His cousin?"

She shifted again "Not exactly."

I stared at her confused "Then…?"

"I'm his younger sister."

I let my jaw fall as I stared at her "Younger… _sister_?" I asked, "How come I didn't see you during the summer then?"

I couldn't believe my ears! Charlotte was James' sibling?

"I was with my uncles in south France. My mum apparated there too, she just came back to welcome your family and prepare things for Hogwarts."

I nodded in incredulity. There was the reason why James knew French! "I can't believe you're my neighbour," I said in shock.

She smiled, "Well, think about it on the bright side: we'll spend the summer together!"

Remus- who was still sat next to us- laughed, "Oh Merlin, I still can't understand how you didn't know she was his sister. I mean, it's obvious."

I smacked him playfully in the arm, "Shut up!"

Charlotte and James were siblings.

Could I ask for _greater_ news??

(…)

Time went by in a rush. Black didn't hex me anymore-thank God- and I received a letter from France, from Mado, saying she had convinced her parents to let her and Elodie come to England during holidays- Elodie and Mado were twins, although the only resemblance between them were their looks.

All in all, my life started getting better- apart from the fights Fiona would put up for everything she could remember, as she clearly hated me. And also- and _finally_- the hours spent in the library were starting to work. I had achieved an Acceptable in one of my transfiguration essays!

October was on us in no time and I dreaded even more James' ball, which would be in less then a month. Good thing was, I no longer would have to ask him about it, as his younger sister was now one of my confidents. So I knew his ball was to happen on the 15th (on a Saturday), was a formal ball (my mum had informed me she already had a dress for me- I couldn't stop myself from imagining how _beautiful_ the dress should be... Urgh!), we were supposed to go there by floo network and we would leave by Dumbledore's fireplace- at least Charlotte and I would.

"Do you mind if I sit?"

I was sitting in the library peacefully doing my homework on the second week of October when, out of nowhere, the voice sounded, startling me.

I took a hand to my heart as I looked at the amused face of James Potter, "Bloody hell, you scared me!"

He laughed, "I see you're learning our language quite fast," he told me amusedly. I blushed looking back at my parchment "So, can I?" he asked again.

I sighed, dropping my hand from my chest "If you must," I answered.

He took that as a yes and sat in the chair opposite me. I kept looking at the book and parchment in front of me, but not really paying attention to them as I was very aware of the pair of eyes which were watching me.

"You know," he said, "I don't get why you're still mad at me."

I looked up at him surprised, not expecting him to speak at all, "Who said I was?" I asked sceptically.

"Lily, c'mon. We're not kids anymore," he then smiled, "I'm almost out of age."

I rolled my eyes and turned back to my essay.

"You know, I really thought we could be friends," he said as I did my best to ignore him, "You're my sister's friend and she's not much different from me."

I snorted, "Not much you say? Just one hundred percent I believe."

He laughed, "Okay, I must admit Charlotte is a tiny bit different from me. She's a great kid, isn't she?"

I found myself entering the conversation against my will, "She is. I was really surprised to know she was you sister."

He nodded, "The only thing similar in you two is the hair," I pointed out as I looked at his unruly hair, which was looking messier as ever.

"You and you sister are different as well," he told me.

I snorted, "So I've been told."

He looked at me with dull eyes, "You really don't like her, do you?" he asked me tonelessly, "I just can't imagine how that's possible. Not only is she your sister but she's also a… a wonderful person."

I controlled my will to snort again. _Wonderful person_… yeah right. But I couldn't deny I liked her, even if just a tiny bit. Like he had said, she was my sister after all.

"You're wrong," I said, deciding I wouldn't be able to finish my essay and packing my things "I like her. I just don't like some of her attitudes."

"I can't imagine your sister doing something less than appropriated," He told me as he smiled, "It just isn't right."

I laughed, "Then prepare to be disappointed," I told him, "She's not what you think she is."

He cocked an eyebrow at me, "And what _exactly_ do I think she is?"

I sighed as I rolled my eyes, "Oh, you know," I started, "Perfect, perfect, perfect," I said, "You think she's all perfection."

He laughed, "Well, I still haven't found any flaws in her… but I do intend to. No one's perfect and if she is… she must be really boring!"

I nodded, "Good then. Maybe you won't be _that_ disappointed."

He laughed again, "See, we can have a decent conversation without arguing!"

I smiled, "Incredible, isn't it?" I asked sarcastically.

He stood up and extended his hand to me, "Come."

I raised an eyebrow at him and frowned, "Who said I'd go with you anywhere?"

He smiled that smile that could melt any heart, "Please. I said I was sorry about all that I did. Or didn't, actually," he added, "Let me show you I regret all of that."

I eyed his hand curiously. Should I go? Should I trust him again? Should I give him another chance?

Not giving me any more time to ponder over the question, I felt myself being pulled up from the chair I was sitting in.

"James!" I exclaimed as he picked me up and swung me over his shoulder, "What are you doing?? Put me down!!"

"Mr. Potter!" the librarian shrieked, "This is a library!"

"Sorry," he said, "We'll be out in a minute!"

And with that he picked up my things and walked off the library, ignoring all the odd stares he was receiving and my loud screams to be put down.

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**Author's note: well, this is a bit later then I was expecting to update… oh well, at least I did update!! Anyway, I haven't got much time, but I want to thank everyone who reviewed!! I love every review I got and each one makes me smile!**

**Articulate**** wish granted! Sirius got hexed!**

**Estrelas****: you guessed exactly what she did… very well:D**

**Hpottersgirl**** she did look out… and in good time too!!:)**

**firewalker32**** glad you liked it!**

**LazyBoyGilmore****: I believe I'm getting addicted to cliffs! I just can't avoid them!lol**

**Chill-C**** yup, she does have a thing going on with each marauder. But- sorry to disappoint you-she has no crush on Remus. And Sirius, well, he was just trying to guess when she was going to crack. And he found that out!**

**lili-potter8907**** I am almost sure I already answered your question, didn't I? I can't be sure as it was almost a week ago. If I haven't, tell me so I can explain!**

**Aria Sparks**** it was time for Sirius to learn a lesson! (not that he has, he's Sirius, he never learns!):P**

**MiXeDuPmEsSeDbOoKs:**** i do agree that my English exam is really important. But fanfiction- reading and writing- has really helped me improve my English. Ah! Just so you know, I already received my English exam: I had a 19 (is like an A+ or something like that!)**

**against.the.mainstream****: your question is really interesting… but this chapter kind of answers it, right:D. and thanks! My exam went really well!**

**Mangoes2oo5:**** I think no one ever thought of Remus. Of course she hated him as much as the other two: he is a marauder after all, you never know what to expect from them!**

**Blondewivbrains:**** yeah, Fiona is kind of bitchy. But she'll show her softer side in a few chapters.**

**Ruby89****: I think everyone loved James when he shut Fiona up!! Yeah, Lily and Remus will be friends. And we all know how Remus is always kind to everyone!**

**EatOthis:**** yeah, but I reckon the place suits Remus better, doesn't it:D**

**lilyre and livvyg**** okay, I've never been called master before…lol. It remembers me of Voldemort! But, unfortunately, I have no idea what's the key to get many reviews. My other story also doesn't get as many as these, but hey!, it doesn't matter as long as you enjoy writing it!**

**purtyinpink71121**** I agree with you, TAKE THAT FIONA! (just so you wouldn't feel alone.lol) thanks for the review!**

**xxxHPxxx**** I know it's not that hard to speak English but I know from experience with a friend that, when you come from a country to another, you tend to use some words from your mother language. At least during the first times. Anyway, yes, Fiona is a complete bitch! ****(And I created her, I'd know!)**

**Jenny:**** like I said before, I'm getting addicted to cliffs!!lol**

**wicked26**** you read them in a row?? Wow! Well, thanks!**

**Sheik's twin**** yeah, Sirius was a jerk. But we all know Sirius isn't always like that. He has his moments! And James… well, what can I say for the poor boy? He's confused, that's what he is. Thanks!**

**Simply infatuated****: no, no, no!lol. No! Sirius is after Lily but only as a friend! No dates included!lol.**

**Eternal-charmer****I did thought of Snape in some point, but I didn't feel it was time to include him in the story. And yeah, Sirius was kind of low in that… he isn't exactly used to being ignored. And James… you've got to forgive him! He's confused.**

**NOT AFRAID OF SPIDERS!:**** I liked that sentence: Go… everyone but Sirius! Lol. It made me laugh:D**

**Cosmopolitan**** his birthday will take a while… maybe two chapters. But I have it all in my head already so… :D! As for the French… I said I wasn't a great speaker, and I am not, so I wasn't really aware that "Bien" couldn't be used in there. Anyway, thanks!**

**Amarthiel****: noppy, Sirius doesn't like Lily (in that way at least). And believe me, I have a lot of experience with guys that pick on girls because they like them. I have a class mate that keeps drooling at me during class or even trying to kiss me whenever he has a chance. It's gross. Oh well, rambling here! Thanks for the review!**

**Evie:**** well, I never really thought about what hex he'd send her, she did block it, so it wasn't really important. But if you insist in knowing I can say it was… an ear growing hex! Just like Anna send him (I'd be ironic, wouldn't it?lol) thanks!**

**messyblackhair66**** ahh, you will see petunia. In his birthday. She'll show what she's worth (or isn't, really).**

**AND NOW TO ALL MY WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL REVIEWERS AND READERS: thank you all so much for reading (and reviewing!)**

**That done, I shall depart from the marvellous object that is my wonderful computer. ****xP**

**Love you all**

**Hannah**

**Ps: review!!**


	12. 11th chapter

"James Potter, I swear that if you don't put me down in this second I'll hex you so hard not even your own mother will recognize you!", I yelled at the top of my lungs. Why couldn't anyone hear me in that ruddy castle?

After leaving the library- and seeming rather calm for someone who was carrying a screaming girl- James continued walking through unknown hallways- at least for me as he seemed to know exactly where he was going- and I soon found out that, if he suddenly remembered of leaving me alone in one of them, I'd have no clue how to get myself in the Gryffindor Tower.

Also, I discovered he had a much stronger chest than I first thought, as I kept kicking him and all I ever heard were some muffled groans.

"Well, then I will keep you where you are. Don't want my handsome face ruined, do we?" he answered cockily, continuing his walk as if what I said meant nothing to him.

I sighed kicking him again, "You can't force me to go with you!" I told him, "I swear that once you put me down you'll never _ever_ see my face again!"

He laughed, "And how do you intend to do that, may I ask? We live in the same school _and_ in the same neighbourhood. Actually, in the same street. Now tell me: how will you manage to _avoid_ me _forever_?"

I snorted, stopping the kicking as my legs started aching rather painfully, "C'mon, I'm getting sore!" I whined, "And I bet you are too. _Please_?" I asked sweetly.

He laughed again. It seemed that was all he could do. "Sweetness will take you no where," he said in a sing sang voice as he slapped my bum.

"Hey!" I said outraged as he kept laughing, "I can't believe you just did that!"

"You're the one who's been punching and kicking me for the last fifteen minutes!"

I huffed as I resumed punching him, "Well, don't do it again!" after some seconds, I got tired again and sighed, "Where are we going after all?"

"We're here," he said as he _finally_, and after what seemed like eternities, stopped and put me down. My first reaction was to slap him hard, but he seemed to foresee my actions as he walked as far away from me as possible in the hallway. Resigning myself, I looked around trying to discover where we were. I saw a landscape painting with trees and what I thought to be a bathroom. Also, there was this _giant_ mirror.

All in all, I had no idea where I was.

"Promise me not to hurt me in any way," he said from the end of the hallway, "Or hex me."

"I can't promise you anything," I said, still fuming. "Not only did you _force_ me out of the library, actually _carrying_ me, but you also had the _nerve_ to slap my ass!"

He chuckled as if he found the entire situation clearly amusing, "Sorry," he said, "But, just so you know, you have such a firm ass!"

I let my jaw open in anger, "That's it, James Potter! I'm not staying with you one more second!" with that said, I turned on me heel and walked away in an unknown direction.

"Okay!" I heard him say, "But you'll just get yourself lost and give me the trouble to find you!"

When I made no move to stop he screamed again, "Lily!" he said, and it sounded more like he was begging than actually calling me. I smirked to myself "C'mon Lily! I'm sorry! Really! Please wait!"

After he said the magic word, 'sorry', I stopped and turned back, giving him my best glare. I knew I'd get lost if I kept being stubborn and ignoring him. "Where exactly are we?" I asked him, "It's almost dinner time and I'm starving so you better get me to the Great Hall immediately!" I commanded.

James looked at me with a relieved expression, "We're in the fourth floor," he told me, "And now you have to promise me you can keep a secret. A Marauder's secret."

I gave a mirthless laugh, "I won't promise you anything if you don't take me back in this second!"

He sighed and, for the first time since he had found me in the library, seemed really exhausted, "Please Lily, help me on this one. I swear you won't regret it."

I looked at the ceiling and pouted, "Fine, whatever."

He was smiling when I looked at him again, "Promise me," he said, "C'mon!"

I nodded, "Alright then. I promise," I said as dully as I could, but it had no effect as he started grinning like a mad man. I started to regret what I had just done… if it was a Marauder's secret it couldn't be good… could it?

He grabbed my hand before I had the chance to go over the promise I had done carefully, and pulled me, "Follow me," he told me, not really giving me any other chance, "You'll like it."

He positioned himself in front of the mirror and I saw- through the mirror- him saying some words an then touching it with his wand.

I gasped in surprise as I saw the mirror opening, as if it was a door, to leave a dark passageway in front of us, "What exactly is this?" I asked, not being able to stop myself from feeling excited, "A tunnel?"

James just grinned back, "Just come and you'll see."

"Oh yeah," I said sarcastically, "It's really nice when you explain yourself so _well_."

He laughed and I smiled a little, as I had no other chance but to follow him as he led me through the dark corridor. His hand was still grasping mine, and I couldn't avoid but blush. Thank God it was dark.

After what seemed like half an hour but were in fact ten minutes, we got out of the tunnel. We were met still by darkness, but a different one that, however, didn't hide the beauty of the place we had arrived to.

We were in Hogsmeade!

"James Potter!" I hissed, "We're out of the school!"

He nodded, looking at me and grinning, "I know," he said, "Don't fret now, please!"

"Don't fret! _Don't fret!"_ I repeated incredulously. Never had I thought the tunnel would end in Hogsmeade! "We're out of school without permission and you are the bloody _Head Boy_!"

He dismissed my worries with his hand, "Just tell me, where you want to go first? How about the Three Broomsticks? Maybe Zonkos'? The night's still a child and it's all ours!" he had a smile plastered on his face.

I shook my head, not amused at all, "You're crazy," I stated, "Completely and totally crazy! What if we get caught?"

He shrugged, "I never got caught," He told me proudly. After seeing my reticent expression he smiled, "What about this: if we do get caught, I'll say you're under the Imperious Curse and you only did what you did because I ordered you to."

I bit my lower lip in deep thought, going over what he had said to me. One night out couldn't hurt, could it?, I thought. He gave me those puppy eyes which remembered me so much of Madeleine whenever she wanted something that it made me laugh at his antics. If Mado was here, I thought, this was exactly what she would be doing. Finally, I nodded, "Alright," I said "But if we get in trouble-"

"We won't," he said as he grabbed my hand, "Just relax!"

"Okay then," I said, "How about a buterbeer first?"

He grinned at me, "Of course, my Lady!" he said as he started walking in the direction of the Three Broomsticks, completely forgetting to release my hand all the way.

(…)

"Where the hell have you been Lillian Priscilla Evans?"

I laughed at Alice as she and Anna peered over me.

When James and I arrived from Hogsmeade it was long past curfew. We had walked around the village most of the night and he had shown me places I had never even heard about. Also, he seemed a tad reluctant in going to the Shrieking Shack. I laughed at him for being afraid of the ghost everyone said lived there, but all I got was a tense laugh. Maybe he really was afraid of the ghost.

Anyway, when we came back, he had told me about one more of the marauders' secrets: a map which contained the entire castle and the people within it, which they called The Marauders' Map. It was really an impressive piece of work, which avoid us being caught by the prefects or Filch. I had told him that, if we did get caught, he was the Head Boy after all; people would believe anything he said. He had only laughed at me and told me I was right.

"You know my name is Lily, not Lilian," I told her smilingly as I changed into my nightgown.

Anna and Alice looked at each other before Anna shook her head and smiled as Alice raised an eyebrow at me, "She was with him," she said, still looking at me, "Obviously."

I looked at her with wide eyes, "Was with who?" I asked. Was it that obvious I had been with anyone at all?

"You know perfectly well _who_ you've been with," Alice said as Anna looked around, to make sure Meagan and Fiona were asleep. After all, one was the gossip queen and the other the rambling princess.

"Where did he take you?" Alice asked me excitedly at last as she was sure the others two were deeply asleep.

"I wasn't with anyone," I lied, "I was… in the library."

They laughed, "Dear, we went to the library looking for you. And do you know what we were told?" Alice said as she sat on my bed.

I dreaded the answer as I asked "What?"

"That you exited the library being _carried_ by James Potter," Alice explained "And then we went looking for him and… guess what?" she asked me with a grin, pausing for effect.

"No one knew where he was," she completed "So I ask again: where did he take you? Aren't you mad with him anymore?"

I sighed. It seemed there was no way to escaped, "Okay, I was with him," I gave in, "But I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone where we went," well, technically, I had promised I wouldn't tell _how_ we went. But they needn't know that. "And no, we're okay now."

Alice sighed in disappointment, "You can't tell us? Oh…" she said.

Anna shook her head, "Important is," she said, "They're okay."

I nodded, "We are."

Alice looked suddenly at me with a new glint in her eyes, "Lily…" she said slowly, "Tell me you don't."

I looked at her bewildered, "I don't what?"

"Oh Merlin," she said concernedly, "You do!" she said, "You so do!"

I was even more bemused, "No, she can't," Anna said. It seemed I was the only one who didn't understand what that conversation meant, "She'd get hurt."

"But she does!" Alice said, "This is so wrong!"

Fed up, I decided to speak, "Care to explain what I do or do not?" I asked, "because I'm not getting it!"

"Lily, tell us," Alice started, "Tell us you have absolutely, utterly, completely, totally, zero-"

"Al, hurry up!" I said, exasperated, "I don't have all night!"

"Tell me you have no feelings for him. Tell me you don't like James."

I looked at her and, after the initial shock had passed, laughed, "What?" I asked, "Of course not!" I said, still laughing, "Where did you get that idea from?"

She looked at me as they both sighed in relief, "Thank Merlin!" Alice said, "For some moments I thought- _well,_ it doesn't matter what I thought!" she stated, "Important is, you don't like him. And I'm going to sleep now. Good night," she said.

I laughed as she made her way to her bed, "Good night, Alice."

I looked at Anna who was still there, "I hope you're sure of what you just told us. You don't know how he is when it comes to girls," she told me.

I nodded, "Don't worry. I don't like him like that."

She nodded as well, "Okay then. G'night."

"Good night." I said as I watched her move to her own bed.

As all the lights were off and I was lying on my bed, I found out sleep wouldn't come.

What they had just asked me kept echoing in my head. I couldn't like him. He liked Petunia, she wanted him as well. I was exactly what he didn't want, or need. I just couldn't like him.

But what if I did?

(…)

Next morning, as I woke up and started going round preparing myself to school, there was something in the air that told me it would be a _different_ day. I don't know what it was, but strange things kept succeeding, proving me to be right in my former thoughts.

It all started in the Great Hall…

"Good morning, sunshine."

_Proof number one: James sat with us at breakfast._

I smiled curiously as I looked up to see James sitting next to me at breakfast. Alice and Anna gave me bemused looks but I only shrugged at them. I was as clueless as they were. Fiona and Meagan- Thank God- had already gone to class.

_Prove number two: Fiona and Meagan gone to class earlier._

"Hey!" Charlotte exclaimed smiling, "I'm sunshine, not her!"

James laughed, "Sorry _little_ sunshine," James said, "Slept well?" he asked, turning to me.

I raised my eyebrow at him. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said, shaking my head, "It's just that… well, you don't usually sit with us, do you?"

He gave me a bemused expression, "Why, can't I sit with you?" he asked.

"No! I mean- it's not that." I said quickly, "I'm just not used to it. You normally sit with, you know, the Marauders"

"Yeah," he said "And I _am_ sitting with them."

I gave him a confused stare, but the expression was quickly erased from my face as the other three- Sirius, Remus and… what was it? Oh yeah, Peter- sat next to him.

_Proof number thre__e: not only James, but all the Marauders sat with us for breakfast._

"Good morning!" said Sirius, as the other two nodded politely.

I, Alice and Anna nodded back in greeting to them as Charlotte said a cheerful "Good Morning!"

"I'll be going," Anna said, getting up "Shaun's waiting."

_Proof number four: Anna gone earlier from breakfast to meet Shaun, who was still eating in the Ravenclaw table._

Alice and I raised an eyebrow at her but kept quiet, "Okay then," Alice said "See you later."

She walked around the tables, said something to Shaun and exited the Great Hall.

"She really likes me, doesn't she?" Sirius told us, as I noticed a hurt expression crossing him face.

_Proof number five: since when did Sirius care about a girl liking him or not?_

The other guys laughed at what he said, but I noticed the look James sent him.

"She sure does," Alice said happily, "Well then, what brings you fine boys to our table in this fine morning?"

I snorted at her comment as I looked at my glass with milk. "What?" James asked.

"What what?" I asked back, feigning ignorance.

He sighed exasperatedly, "What was the snort for?"

"Oh, that!" I said, as if I had just understood what he had said, "it wasn't for anything."

He raised an eyebrow at me but shrugged it. "But it's raining," I whispered to Charlotte as she laughed, understanding what I meant.

"By the way, Lily," Remus said, "I won't be able to tutor you tonight."

_Proof number six: Remus never missed my tutor sessions_

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"My mum's sick," he told me "I'm going to see her."

A sympathetic expression appeared on my face "Oh" I said, "It's okay then. Hope she gets better."

He nodded, "Thanks," he said "Anyway, as you can't afford to miss any kind of help, I found someone to replace me."

I looked at him curiously, "Really?" I asked, "Who?"

"James," he said calmly.

_Proof number seven: James would be tutoring me in the library when just the night_ _before he had… well, done what he did in the library._

My jaw dropped. I couldn't enter the library if I was even a bit near James Potter! "No way," I said, "Impossible."

"Why not?" James asked "I'm as good as he is and-" he got closer to me, "Like you reminded me last night quite often-" he added in a whisper so that only I could hear, "I'm Head Boy," he finished.

"Exactly because of last night. Do you remember what you did in there last night? The librarian won't let us in!"

"Uh-uh," someone cleared his throat. I looked up to see it had been Sirius and, when I looked back at James, I noticed how close our faces were. I quickly drew away, as my cheeks felt hot, "Sorry to interrupt you there, lover birds," I blushed even more, but Sirius only grinned, "If you don't want James to do it, I can do it instead. I'm as good as he is," He smirked, "Scratch that. I'm better than he is."

_Proof number eight: __Sirius Black _offered_ to tutor me._

"Sirius's right," Charlotte said, "You wouldn't want Jimmy for your tutor. Believe me when I say he has no professor skills in him at all!"

Everyone laughed and it was James' turn to blush, "Yeah, yeah Charlie. Like you haven't had an Outstanding in every essay I made you."

"Charlotte!" I said, "What did I told you about the essays?"

She just laughed, "What can I do? He didn't do his as well and he got Head Boy! I'm only following his example!"

James reached across the table to ruffle Charlotte's hair "Very well," he said, "You clearly _are_ a Potter."

I smacked James on the head, "What an example you put up! You're supposed to be responsible!"

"But I am!" he said.

"Oh great," a sarcastic voice interrupted us. Sirius again. "Now the lover birds are fighting. I can only imagine what Petty will say once she knows about this."

That immediately ruined my mood. He just had to bring Petunia into the conversation. James seemed to quieten all of sudden as well, "Alright Sirius," I said "Be on the library at eight sharp."

He grinned, "I knew you'd prefer me!"

I waved my hand dismissively as I stood up, "Whatever," I said "You two coming?" I asked Charlotte and Alice.

"No, I'll wait for my friends," Charlotte said.

I nodded as Alice got up and started walking out of the Great Hall with me.

I turned back one last time to see James smacking Sirius upside the head.

Weird day, really, I thought, and we're only in the beginning of it.

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**Author's note: hi!!! An update sooner than you expected no??**

**Oh well, I don't have much time so I'll just answer the questions in general:**

**1st: Nop, you're right. English isn't my first language. ****I'm from Portugal.**

**2nd. YAY! ****I've been thinking and I have a great new… the party is… probably next chapter or the one after that!!! P**

**3rd. I have proof that is possible for a guy to do that! I have this friend that used to do it all the time and, believe me, neither of the girls he picked up wanted him to. But he always managed to do it! But I understand why you said that; not everyone can do it. I, for example, can't.**

**4th. I know, Charlotte being James' sibling is something quiet unexpected. Lol. Even for me. The idea came to me when I was writing last chapter for the first time (or was it the chapter before that one? Can't really remember). Lily took Charlotte to class and then the professor called her Ms. Potter. But then I changed the chapter and… okay, I'm rambling here!!! My fingers have free will when they're writing!!**

**5th. Thanks everyone for the extraordinary reviews!!!**

**And here I say farewell to everyone!!**

**Love**

**Hannah**


	13. 12th chapter

"I shouldn't have accepted it!"

I stared at the ceiling of my own dormitory minutes before I was to meet Sirius Black in the library. My weird day just kept getting weirder. For instance, I had an Outstanding in a Transfiguration essay. Needless to say, I believed someone had switched it, but I was not about to complain about it!!

"Well, you did," Alice said, "So just get yourself in the library and get on with it."

I sighed. She was, as always, right. "Do I have to?" I whined.

I heard the door opening and took a peek to see Fiona and Meagan entering.

"You know you do," Alice said, "Just get going. Anna is in the library as well, if you need anything just scream!" she finished laughing.

"Don't joke about it. I might do just that!" I answered as I got up and picked up my stuff for Transfiguration.

"Off to meet Remus again?" Fiona asked me venomously, "I can't believe he actually accepted to tutor you!"

"Don't say that, Fiona," Meagan, always the naïve one, said, "Remus is a great guy and he was very sweet in accepting to tutor Lily. Besides, it's paying off, isn't it? She had an Outstanding this last essay, didn't she? Oh, but you should know she isn't going to meet Remus; he can't come so Sirius will be replacing him. James offered to do it, but Lily preferred Sirius. Although Charlotte was the one who pushed her to it. I mean, she just jeered her brother in front of her-"

"I think that's enough, Meg," Fiona said, cutting her friend off. I squirmed under her gaze which was now icy. I hadn't thought about telling her- since she was completely obsessed with Sirius and all.

"I thought Sirius refused to tutor?" she asked, this time to Alice.

She shrugged, "Guess he opened an exception," she answered, smiling, "Great guy that Sirius Black, isn't he?"

Fiona seemed to redden with anger when she turned to me, "Lucky you then, _Evans,_" she huffed as she fell on her bed and closed the curtains around.

I looked around to see Alice shaking her head sadly and Meagan smiling at me like she had done this last few times as if to say "sorry".

"Okay then," I said, standing you, "I'll be going. Sirius is waiting for me."

I heard Alice saying "Okay!" as I opened the door and exited.

I descended the stairs slowly as I thought over how being tutor by Sirius would be like. I mean, I knew his personality outside, but I had no idea how he behaved in classes. But he must be a good student, I thought, or he wouldn't have such great results.

As I was walking through the common room, a voice called me, making me turn. Sirius, James and Peter were still there, sitting by the fire like they always did.

"Hey," I said, raising an eyebrow at Sirius, "I was going to meet you."

Sirius smiled, "I was thinking-" he started, touching his chin in deep thought.

"Wow. Way to go Sirius!" I said sarcastically.

James and Peter sniggered, but Sirius just ignored my comment.

"Like I was saying," he continued, "_I've been_ thinking and I thought that maybe we could do your tutor lesson here, in the common room."

I gave him a bemused stare and looked around. The common room was full, people still arriving from dinner. He wanted to give a tutor lesson in _here_?

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," I said, as I finally turned to him, "It's too noisy in here."

The trio smirked, "I can get a way to shut them up if needed," James said "I am Head Boy after all."

I chewed over that as I stared at their _angelic_ faces. After what happened last night in the library, I knew for sure Madam Pince wouldn't be exactly thrill to see me there- with a Marauder nonetheless. And James _was_ Head Boy _and_ Quidditch captain. He could keep everyone quiet.

At last, I nodded, "Alright then," I said, challenging him, "Go ahead and keep them quiet and we can have the tutor lesson here."

Sirius and James grinned as the last stood up to face the Gryffindor students.

"May I have you attention, please?" he asked and everyone turned to him at once. A Marauders' authority wasn't supposed to be questioned; especially when the Marauder in question was Head Boy and Quidditch captain.

"I just received a letter from Professor McGonagall saying that everyone should go up to bed immediately!" he said, "I'm not authorized to say why but I am supposed to give detentions and dock points from everyone who doesn't obey!"

Groans of displeasure were heard everywhere, but, after some time, people started to leave and in no time the common room was left all for us.

"How's that?" James asked, smirking, as he sat down next to us again.

I tried to stifle my laugh as I stared at him, but I couldn't. After some minutes, we were all laughing our heads off.

"What about the Head Girl?" I asked at last, as the Head Girl was from Gryffindor as well, "Won't she say anything?"

James shrugged, "She's off with her boyfriend," he said, "By the time she comes back I'll be deathly asleep in my dorm!" he grinned, making me laugh again.

After some minutes, Sirius interrupted, "So," he said "Should we start?"

I nodded as I picked up my Transfiguration things and turned to them.

"Okay, this is the last thing Remus and I went over," I said, showing them a piece of parchment.

I saw their faces wriggling in confusion as they examined it.

This isn't going to be good, I thought to myself, God help me!

(…)

"That was… wicked!" I said to Alice as I entered our dormitories later that night. In the meantime, Anna had arrived as well.

"Where were you tutored?" she asked me as she changed into her nightgown.

"In the common room," I said, "by all three Marauders!" I told them. But then I corrected myself, "I mean; more like by Sirius and James. Peter didn't do much. He just basically watched."

"He's never been exactly smart," Meagan said, "if it wasn't for the other three I don't know what he'd have done."

"Meg's right," Alice said "But we can talk all you want about Peter tomorrow. Right now I need to sleep."

I laughed, "Alright. Good night then."

"Good night," they all said.

I lay in my bed during some minutes, but sleep just wouldn't come. After what seemed like eternities of lying still, I got fed up and stood up from my bed, walking to the window.

Looking at the sky, I saw a beautiful full moon staring back at me. Smiling to myself, I opened the window, and had to pull my pyjama closer as it was chilly. I hope the girls won't wake up, I thought. But I knew they wouldn't. Almost all of them slept like rocks.

Laughing at that thought I examined the grounds which were peacefully resting without any noisy student.

I was dwelling over that thought when something caught my eye.

It seemed… people. Someone was out there.

Three people to be more exact, two of them really tall and one a little shorter. For some reason, the image of the three boys I had just been tutored by came to my mind.

That's stupid, I scolded myself, remember James saying he would be deathly asleep when the Head Girl returned?

With that comforting thought in my head, I dismissed those ideas. Why would the Marauders be outside at such an hour? Not only was it forbidden but also they'd have been easily caught by the caretaker.

Shaking my head, I watched the three figures walk the grounds under the moonlight, until I was no longer able to.

After that, I closed the window and leaned on it.

Well, I thought at last, after some minutes of agonizing doubt, it won't hurt to check!

And with that thought on mind, I opened the door from the dormitory and descended the stairs. If they were in bed, I'll just get out without waking them. If they were not… well, I'd be thinking about that later.

(…)

Next morning came with an unusual glow.

The night before had left many things to explain. Things that, in morning's light, seemed impossible and unbelievable.

I had gone to the boys' dormitory and returned to my own with only one sure thing: the Marauders had gone out.

They weren't there when I arrived: not James, not Sirius and most certainly not Peter. And Remus as well, but that was expected, as he had gone home to see his mother.

As I sat down at breakfast table and the girls sat around me, I waited anxiously for them to come and join us.

But the thing was, they never came.

I didn't put my gaze on them the entire morning. When I finally saw them it was lunch time, but there was so much confusion inside the Great Hall that I couldn't reach them.

All I was able to see was that they looked tired, really tired. Sirius even had some kind of scratches on his neck and face. They had been up to no good, that was for sure.

The day went by without me having a chance to actually speak with them. And that was definitely weird. At least _one_ of them always took some minutes of my day. Suddenly, I felt ignored!

It was the following day when I was finally able to catch up with them. "Hi," I said as I found them in the common room before lunch.

It was Saturday and I knew they'd be at a Quidditch game that afternoon. James, as the captain, had to make sure everyone was ready in time. He played Chaser and Sirius played Beater.

"Good morning Flower!" Sirius said.

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Since when am I 'Flower'?" I asked doubtfully.

Sirius smiled, "Since I felt like you needed a nickname!"

I laughed, "Whatever Sirius," I said as I took a place next to James and Remus, who must have arrived that morning.

"Hello," James said.

Remus gave me a smile, "Is she better?" I asked him curiously.

He looked at me confused "Who?" he asked.

I wrinkled my noise in bemusement, "Your mother, wasn't she sick?"

Remus eyes widened, "Oh, yes! She's alright now, thanks."

I smiled, but thought his reaction was really weird. Also, he seemed paler than usually, as if he was the one who had been sick.

"So, are you going to the game this afternoon?" James asked me, "We're playing Slytherin."

"And winning, of course," Sirius added with a grin.

I shook my head, "I've never really been a fan of Quidditch," I said.

They all approached me and eyed me with unbelievable eyes, "You don't like Quidditch?" James asked me.

"No, not much."

That made them stare even more at me, and I started feeling uncomfortable under their gazes. What was wrong with not liking Quidditch?

"Oh God, you can't be normal!" Peter said at last.

"Thanks," I said dryly.

Peter blushed a little, but James looked unfazed by my comment, "But he's right! Who on earth doesn't like Quidditch??"

"Me?"

They all groaned, "But you're going to watch my game and that's it," James stated.

"What, are you forcing me to?" I asked with a smirk.

"Interesting you asking that," He said "You know I can pretty well just carry you to the pitch."

I opened my mouth in mock shock, "You wouldn't!"

He shook his head and looked me in the eyes, "It's nothing I haven't done before."

Peter, Sirius and Remus gave him puzzled looks, "When did you carry her?" Sirius asked.

James laughed, "Mind your own business, _Black._" he said

They laughed and Sirius gave him a hurt expression, "What a friend you are!" he said, only to start laughing after.

"Anyway," James said, "You're coming then?"

"What other choice do I have? You have the gift to make me do things I'd prefer not."

Again, Peter, Sirius and Remus gave us puzzled looks.

"Okay," Sirius said at last, "I'm giving up on this conversation," he stood up "I'm going to lunch."

"Me too," Peter and Remus said at the same time as they stood up, "See you later."

We waited until they exited the common room to start laughing at them, "So," James said after a while, "Let's go to lunch? I want you to come down with me to the pitch. Just to make sure…"

I laughed, "Alright, let's go."

We stood up and exited the common room in silence, all the way I was thinking about how to ask him about that night two days ago.

"James?"

"Mmmh?" he said as he seemed to be in deep thought.

"After tutoring me the other night, did you go straight to your dormitory?"

He forgot whatever he was thinking immediately, and turned to me with a bewildered expression, "Of course!" he said, "Why do you ask that?"

I shrugged, "It's just that, last night, I went to your dormitory to ask if you had my quill and, well, you weren't there," I lied quickly.

He seemed shocked that I knew he hadn't been in bed. "So?" I asked after a few more seconds when he said nothing.

We had arrived to the stairs and started descending them. Damn whoever made the Gryffindor common room to be in the seventh floor!

"Yeah, we went out for a while," he admitted, "we were… hungry. So we went to the kitchen."

"You're lying," I said in a sing sang voice.

He raised an eyebrow at me, "And what exactly makes you say that?" he asked me.

We stopped almost at the end of the stairs and I looked him in the eyes "I saw you lot on the grounds," I told him clearly.

I watched his hazel eyes widening and, for some reason, found concentrating in the conversation really hard.

"Lily…" he started but wasn't able to finish the question as the staircase started moving.

With a cry, I found myself almost falling, but James caught my wrists and pulled me to him, making me push him and fall on top of him on the stairs as the kept moving.

If I was mesmerized by his hazel eyes before, now I simply couldn't tear my eyes away from them.

My heart beat increased madly as I saw him part his lips, but no sound came out of them. His eyes seemed to be locked on mine as well.

The stairs stopped but neither of us moved.

I licked my lips with the tip of my tongue, and could feel my face gaining a soft pink colour as I noticed he followed my movement with his eyes. My breath was starting to become heavier with each moment that passed, as he eyed me with the eyes of a lion which made me feel more and more like his prey.

_His prey_. That thought send chills through my body and, when he supported his firm hands on my waist and started describing circles with his fingertips, my whole being seemed to enter a daze.

And for some distorted stupid reason, I was actually enjoying it. I _liked_ what was happening!

My red hair - I could now perfectly see it was red and not orange- was falling in his face, making a perfect contrast with his raven hair. My hands were still touching the floor, supporting me and I could feel his hot, but at the same time fresh breath touching my lips.

One of my hands found its way to his hair, making me support more on his body. His hand that was around my waist pulled me even closer and I found myself locked in his embrace.

I knew what was happening. And I also knew I- and probably him too- would regret what we were about to do. But I couldn't stop it. And I bet neither could he.

I saw him closing his eyes slowly and starting to fill the gap between our lips. My eyes closed as well and I waited for the contact between them as I encircled my hands around his neck. I had no control over my body, which acted on its own accord, not following any reason.

I let out a soft yelp as his lips touched mine softly, and pulled away as if an electric shock had felt over me. It was a caring touch, but more than I could handle.

My whole being was falling for James Potter and I was just watching and trying to see when the dream would be over.

I felt James' lips touching mine once again, and this time I didn't pull away, returning my hands to his neck and waiting for something more…

However, all good things come to an end. And this time, I didn't know if I should be mad or grateful to the voice which brought me back to reality.

"So, are we going to the game? My brother is captain after all; I _have_ to see him play!"

I quickly got up from the top of James, my eyes widening just in thinking of what we were about to do.

The stair moved again, to its original position, but this time I stood my ground. James stood up as well, examining me with puzzlement as we came face to face with his sister.

"Jimmy! Lily!" she said, smiling at us. Her smile quickly disappeared as she looked at our expressions, "What's wrong?" she asked.

Coming back to reality, I looked at James one last time before looking at Charlotte, "Nothing," I lied, managing a weak smile.

James nodded, "Yeah," he said, his voice rough as he also put a fake smile, "Nothing Charlie."

Charlotte smiled again, "Alright… let's go to lunch?"

"Yeah," I said, as the three of us and one of Charlotte's friends started descending the stairs to the Great Hall, and I was careful enough to make sure I was far away from James and didn't linger much on the last step of each stair.

"So, are you going to James' game?" Charlotte asked me

With that sentence, I remembered James never got to tell me what exactly they had done the night before.


	14. 13th chapter

Lunch time was spent enduring Sirius' long and boring descriptions of how they'd never lost a game against Slytherins.

Okay, I'm not being completely fair. I was actually glad that he started rambling about Quidditch, no matter how much I hated the sport. That way, I didn't have to talk at all. And much less talk with James.

We had kissed. I mean, if what we had done could be considered a kiss.

And even worst, I had felt something during the ruddy kiss. Something I shouldn't be feeling in any kind of way for James Potter. He was my sister's future boyfriend after all!

But he kissed me, I remembered. He wouldn't still date Petunia if he kissed me, would he?

But I didn't know him enough to know about that. And what Anna and Alice had said to me not too long ago kept repeating in my mind. They had been completely against me liking James. They'd surely have some reason for it!

"-think, Lily?" I heard someone saying. Turning my unfocused gaze to where the voice came, I found Sirius grinning at me with an amused expression

"I… I agree." I said lamely, for I hadn't listened to one single think he had said.

"You do?" he asked me "Great! Then you can borrow my broomstick!"

Broomstick? I thought, I didn't hear anything about a broomstick!

My eyes widened as I stared at Sirius. After some time, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Charlotte, Alice and Anna (who had joined us in the meanwhile) started laughing.

"You completely spaced out Lils." Alice said.

I let a smile appear on my face. "I did, didn't?" I asked, more to myself, but they all smiled. "Sorry," I said to Sirius "You were saying?"

He laughed again "I was talking about Quidditch. What were you thinking about anyway? You seemed awfully worried."

My eyes averted to James and I found him staring back at me, his eyes impossible to decipher. "I was just thinking about… the Quidditch game!" I lied.

Sirius believed me and laughed as he said "She's getting in the spirit!" and everyone else laughed as well.

James smiled a little and shook his head, mouthing "Liar!" to me.

I smiled as well and gestured with my head to the door. I needed to speak with him and I was sure after the game it'd impossible- especially if Gryffindor won.

He nodded and stood up. "Guys, I need to go back to the Tower, I forgot something there."

"I'll go with you!" Sirius offered, motioning to stand up

"No need for that," James said, never letting his façade down "I'll meet you at the pitch."

Sirius eyed him curiously but didn't say anything, merely nodding.

"I'll go with you," I said, trying to make it appear sudden "I need to go get my Gryffindor scarf if I'm watching the game." I smiled "See you later girls, I'll go down with James after, alright?" I asked.

Anna locked eyes with me and nodded her head; but I knew she knew something was happening. Alice smiled happily "Okay Lils," she said "See you down there."

I followed James as he made his way out of the Great Hall. Then, I kept following as we walked through the entrance hall and out to the grounds.

I followed him all the way to the pitch "I haven't got my scarf," I remembered him, when we were almost arriving to the pitch "I need to go get it."

He smiled and shrugged as he took his out and handed it to me "Keep it." he said.

I was about to decline, but he turned front and kept walking. Finally, we stopped in front of the locker rooms and he turned to face me, looking anywhere but me.

"Listen…" he started, but he didn't seem to know exactly what to say. I kept looking at him waiting for him to say something. The kiss… it must have meant something for him too, right? I thought doubtfully, starting to get lost in thought.

"…Shit, I have no idea of what to say!" he said at last, making me focus my eyes on him again. He seemed terribly awkward.

"Neither have I," I lied. I was lying far too much for my liking. "What happened… shouldn't have"

He nodded and cast his eyes downwards. "You're right," he said "Maybe we should… forget about it?" his words, although he didn't mean it, came out as a question.

I felt as if someone had grabbed a knife and pushed it through my heart. I hated the damn feeling that I, unfortunately, knew all too well.

I gave him a fake smile and tried to pass as bright "Of… course." I said, gulping "That… that was exactly what I was going to say."

He smiled as well. "But we're okay, aren't we?" he asked, or better, pleaded.

"Sure!" I said "You better go now, big game and all!" I punched his arm playfully, but it all felt so awkward now that I knew how it felt to kiss him.

He nodded "Yeah," He said "You'll watch, right?"

"I said I would, didn't I? Besides, I'm already at the pitch!"

He smiled a little. "See you later James." I said finally as I started making my way to the stands, which by the time were still empty.

"Lily!" I heard him call me back, and I turned to face him.

"Yes?"

He smirked "Just so you know, you have the hottest bum I ever felt!"

My jaw felt in outrage as I clenched my wand, only to drop it back. Instead, I walked to where he was grinning like a madman, slapped him and said "If you hadn't a bloody game to win for my house, you'd be so incredibly dead!" I whispered dangerously.

He massaged his cheek where I'd slapped him but not for long. Before I had time to think, he had grabbed my hand and pulled me closer. "Language, Evans," he said, smirking. Then, he leaned down and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips, letting me go immediately after. "A friend's kiss," he whispered, before he turned his back on me "For good luck!" I heard him screaming as he run to the locker rooms.

Again, as I felt the touch of his lips on mine, my body reacted and I had to hold myself to the locker room's door so as not to fall dead to the floor as soon as he let me go.

I took my hand to my lips and grinned:

James Potter had kissed me.

For the third time.

In one day.

If that wasn't heaven, I don't know what would be!

(…)

"Go, Go Gryffindor!" I cheered along Alice and Charlotte after the game as we descended the stands. Anna played Keeper, so she wasn't with us and Remus and Peter had gone down long ago.

The game, like Sirius had predicted, was won by Gryffindor. Even I, that wasn't much of a fan of Quidditch, cheered along with not only other Gryffindors but Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs as well. It seemed the Slytherin house wasn't that well seen.

"My brother rocked the pitch!" Charlotte said. "Didn't he?" she asked me and Alice.

We nodded "He sure did, kid!" Alice said.

We smiled and decided getting to any players of the Quidditch team would be simply impossible at the moment. Instead, we set off in the direction of the common room, where surely a party would be hold.

Once there, we saw the common room was completely full. The only space where we could still sit was the couch everyone knew the Marauders sat on and no one dared to take.

We, of course, took it. Ah, the joys of being friends with the Marauders, I thought as I grinned.

"Where did all these drinks come from?" I asked Alice curiously.

She shrugged "They're the Marauders. Who knows??"

I laughed "Can we sit?" someone asked. I looked up to see Fiona and Meagan there.

"Sure!" Alice said "I don't think they'll mind, do you Lily?"

"No, I don't think so." I said, giving them space to sit. Meagan sat next to me while Fiona sat next to Alice and Charlotte.

"Well, if you want to know, I think they won't like you to be sitting here," Charlotte, who completely disliked Fiona, told her "But you can stay Meg."

Meagan smiled at her "Thanks."

Fiona just narrowed her eyes "I guess I'll wait and see."

Charlotte just tore her gaze away from her.

"Ladies!" the loud voice announced Sirius Black had arrived. Behind him came James, Remus and Peter. And behind them came the entire Gryffindor female population it seemed. I stifled my laugh as one of them turned Sirius around and kissed him, making Fiona redden with anger.

"Where's Anna?" Alice asked

"She's with Patil outside." Remus answered her.

Alice nodded. "So," James asked, as they sat everywhere there was place to "What did you think of the game?"

I narrowed my eyes "Let's just say I'm glad I didn't hex your head off," He grinned "But don't you think I won't do it sooner or later."

He only grinned more, making me smile as well. "You're unbearable, James Potter!"

"I know."

"I taught him all that he knows!" Sirius said, as he aided himself of some more of whatever was in his glass. It sure wasn't water…

Everyone started laughing and enjoying the fact that, once again, Gryffindor had beaten Slytherin. I looked at them all and, when I looked at James, I found him staring back at me. We smiled at each other and soon entered the conversation again.

(…)

The Gryffindor party that day only ended up when the Head Girl, Karla Tomasso, who was also a Gryffindor, sent us all to bed.

The next day, a Sunday, neither of us did much. We (and by we I mean the Marauders, me and Alice…Anna was with Shaun- as always- and Charlotte with her friends) hung out all day on the grounds, speaking about everything which came to our heads. I hadn't had such a great fun in some time.

James and I never spoke to each other about the kisses anymore. I think he included the last one he stole me in the part of the "forget it ever happened". I was a little disappointed, but only because the fact that he had actually kissed me already meant something for me.

I could be wrong, but I felt there was something happening between us. Something that put him in doubt about my sister.

The month preceding James' birthday ball went faster than I wanted it to.

When I least expected it, the day had come and Charlotte and I were supposed to meet the Headmaster in his office. James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were supposed to Apparate there. Alice and Anna had been invited in the meanwhile and, although Alice accepted it, Anna declined. I believed it was mostly because Sirius would be there. For some reason they couldn't stand each other- or better, she couldn't stand him.

"Ready to go?" Charlotte asked me as I descended the stairs. It was Saturday morning and, despite the ball being only at night time, we were supposed to go earlier so that we could get ready.

Alice and I nodded "Yeah," I said "As ready as I'll ever be, I think."

We were almost exiting the common room when a voice made us turn. "Not even saying Happy Birthday, are we?"

We smiled as James and the guys descended the stairs "Supposedly, there'll be a ball full of people who'll say happy birthday," I told him mockingly "We'll probably, but just _probably_, be some of those people."

James smiled as Charlotte jumped on him and hugged him "Happy birthday!" she said. He hugged her back.

"See? My sister here knows how it's done."

Alice laughed as she hugged him as well "Happy b-day James."

"Thanks," He said, then turning to me "What about you? Are you just going to stare?"

I smirked "I'm just trying to get your image in my head." I said, as everyone looked at me bemused "I mean, you're getting old. I'd like to remember you while you're still… acceptable."

James opened his mouth in mock outrage and everyone laughed- especially Sirius. "You're old mate!" he said "And acceptable!"

Instead of answering him, James turned to me "Old? I'm getting old? And I'm only acceptable? Is that what you're saying?"

I touched my chin as if in deep thought "Well, let me see… yes. I believe that, this time, you got it right."

A dangerous look passed his eyes. I took a step back and he walked in my direction "James Potter." I said warningly "You stay away from me!"

He started running after me and I ran away from him, ending up running through the portrait hole someone opened and through the halls.

It must have been a really nice show to watch. The Head Boy running after a sixth year girl screaming "If I catch you…!".

I laughed as I kept running and, as I didn't pay that much attention to where I was going, I collided with someone, who was fast enough to catch me instead of letting me fall to the floor.

"Oh, sorr-" I started saying, but as I looked up I cut myself off as I felt my face burn. "Sorry sir." I said "I really wasn't looking to where I was going."

The Headmaster looked down to me- he was really tall- and smiled. I could see his eyes twinkling behind his half moon spectacles. "No harm done." he said.

I smiled tensely as I felt James arriving behind me. He gave me an amused look before facing the Headmaster.

"Sir," He said "We were just on our way to meet you. Ms. Evans here," and with that he looked at me again "Is supposed to be going to my coming of age ball through your fireplace, with my sister."

The Headmaster nodded "Oh yes, Mr. Potter. Your mother was kind enough to warn me someone was going with your sister." He then smiled "Happy birthday by the way."

James grinned "Thank you Sir." He looked at me again as if saying "see, even the Headmaster said happy birthday" and then turned back to him.

"I shall be going then, sir." He said "My sister will meet Lily in your office in a few minutes. And Alice too." He added as an afterthought.

The Headmaster again nodded, and James nodded as well before starting to walk back and leaving me alone- and embarrassed, may I add- with the Headmaster.

"Should we go then, Ms. Evans?" he asked me "I shall make you company. I believe Ms. Potter was the one who knew the password."

"Yes, sir." I answered.

We started to walk again, me following him as I had never been to the Headmaster's office before.

"So, what are you thinking of Hogwarts so far?" his question startled me as I wasn't expecting him to speak at all "I heard you had some problems in the beginning of the year?"

I smiled tensely "I did have some problems," I admitted, finding it very easy to speak with the old man "However, everything turned out for the best. And the people with whom I had problems are now some of my closest friends here."

He nodded, smiling "I am very happy to hear that," he said "Not a lot of new students get along so well with the so called 'Marauders'" he chuckled as he said the name. "And I can see you and Mr. Potter seem to have a very special connection."

That sentence caught me out of guard and I felt myself blushing to the roots. How did he know James and I had anything at all? I mean…

"No need to feel awkward," he told me, as if reading my mind "Mr. Potter was appointed Head Boy for some reason. He can be a little immature but he can also be responsible when needed."

"He's a nice guy," I said, feeling I owed some answer to the man "He's my neighbour too, so he was the first person I met from Hogwarts."

"Ah," he said "Yes, I had heard you lived next to each other. I also heard of some… other girl, who I presume to be your sister, who was awfully interested in him."

Great, bring that up, I thought. No need to remind me, I'll be seeing her in some minutes.

"Yes, he was." I admitted. But I wish he wasn't, I added in my mind.

"Outer beauty is what one sees first; but inner beauty is what makes one fall in love." He said

I stared at him confused as we arrived at a statue of a gargoyle. "Sir… I don't get it..."

He smiled as he said "Sugar quills".

"You will in time, Ms. Evans." he answered "Now, follow me!" he added amusedly, as the statue moved aside and we stepped in some kind of staircase which started moving.

(…)

After Alice and Charlotte arrived, Charlotte and I said goodbye to Alice as she travelled to her place and we to the Potter's. Once there, both our mother's were waiting for us and so was Petunia.

Of course, as soon as she saw us- and especially as soon as she saw Charlotte- she came in our directions and hugged Charlotte, even though she didn't knew her.

I was happy to see that, as soon as she turned her back on Charlotte, she stuck her tongue out at her. If I already didn't like her, I'd start to at that exact moment.

Then, although Charlotte complained about it, my mother, Petunia and I made our way to our place.

My father was there and hugged me tight as soon as I stepped in the house. Something is definitely wrong with him, I thought, but hugged him back anyway.

Finally, I was able to get away from my family as I went to my room. After a long bath, I found my dress on out in my bed and had a great surprise in finding it wasn't _that_ horrible. It was a really simple green knee length dress. Yes, it was cliché that it was green like my eyes. But what could I expect from my mother?

And better yet, it was great on me. It took out all my new curves that came from losing weight and most of the fat I still had wasn't noticeable. I grinned at myself at the mirror. I looked good. Even for someone who wasn't that pretty.

Urgh, I thought, my eyebrows! They're ruining it!

(…)

"Lily!" I heard my mum calling me later, almost at the time James' ball would start "Are you ready?"

"Yes!" I said, exiting my room. I could do my hair and make up at the Potter's. After all, there I could use magic!

"Good gracious!" Petunia screamed as she saw me "What's wrong with your hair? And… do I see well, you're not wearing make up!"

I took my time to look at my sister. As always, she was beautiful. Her dress was also knee length, but spaghetti in colour. Her hair was made up and her make up was perfect. Damn her, I thought. I just hoped James wouldn't fall back into her arms.

My heart ached painfully at that thought. No Lily, I thought, he won't. He kissed you!

I smiled at that thought. He had kissed me. _M_e. Not her.

"I'll do it at Charlotte's," I told them as my mum appeared with my father "With magic." I added.

"No way Lillian!" my mum said

I groaned "You know it's Lily, not Lillian!" I said

She waved her hand "It doesn't matter. Now come on!"

I followed her until her room where she took care of my hair, making it stay wavy in a nice way; she did my eyebrows- and Merlin! Did that hurt! - and applied some make up.

I had to admit my mum did make miracles. I looked a lot better than before.

"There," she said "Now, let's go?"

I nodded and followed her back into the living room, where the rest of my family was waiting. Once we arrived, they stood up and we walked to the Potter's mansion. Oh boy, I thought, this is going to be fun.

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**author's note: thanks everyone for the wonderful reviews!**

**and i'm really sorry i haven't answered anyone's questions, but, unfortunetely, i won't be able to do it today either.**

**now that school's over i thought i'd have a lot more time, but it doesn't seem so. now i have to work (D:)**

**anyway, anyone who has any questions about this fic, any at all, just ask and i promise this time i'll answer.**

**again, thanks to everyone and to my beta sweetsoutherngal too.**

**love**

**_Hannah_**


	15. 14th chapter

When we arrived to the Potter mansion, a maid I had never seen before led us to an enormous space where the ball would be held. It was full of people already, some of them that I knew from school and others that I'd never seen before.

I quickly said goodbye to my parents and sister and started looking for Charlotte and Alice. And I didn't have to look long too…

"Lily!"

I smiled as Charlotte hugged me, "You're beautiful!" she told me.

I laughed as I looked at her. She was wearing a baby pink dress with laces in the end.

"You don't look so bad yourself!" I told her as we both laughed "Have you seen Alice?"

She shook her head "I just got away from Mum. She kept dragging me to meet important people I couldn't care less about. James is the one who is now enduring her."

I laughed "You're evil." I told her.

She smirked at me "If you think I'm evil because of that, wait until you see Sirius' pants!"

I raised an eyebrow at her, "Charlotte…" I said in a warning voice "What have you done now?"

She laughed, "Wait and see, my friend. It's nothing I haven't done before!"

"Girls!" we heard a voice calling us and we both turned and smiled at Alice.

She was wearing a brown also knee length dress, with straps in the end. "Have you seen Sirius? His pants are flashing pink signs such as 'Kiss my ass' on his… well… ass!"

I looked at Charlotte and shook my head disapprovingly, but couldn't stop myself from laughing as the one Sirius Black approached us, and turned his back on us. "Now," he started "You wouldn't know who did this, would you?" he asked, looking defiantly at Charlotte.

She blinked innocently "No." she said

He shook his head, took out his wand and made the signs stop. Then he laughed and tried to ruffle Charlotte's hair, but she got away from him. "Very well Charlie. If I didn't know better I'd believe you hadn't done it."

We all laughed and Sirius' attention was finally back on us. "Hello, ladies!" he said, smiling. Then he examined me closer. "There's something different in you…" he said as he took a closer look at my face. I smirked as I waited for him to guess. "Ah!" he said at last "You're using lip stick!"

I laughed at him as I allowed him to put one arm around me, the other encircling Alice. "No, Sirius," I said "I did my eyebrows!"

Sirius looked at me again and finally noticed my eyebrows now looked decent. "How come I didn't notice that?" he asked more to himself.

"Where's everyone else?" Alice asked.

"The guys are outside, want to join them?" Sirius answered her as he smiled at us "You two are really pretty tonight, by the way."

Alice and I rolled our eyes. "You won't be snogging us tonight, Black." Alice told him.

He sighed. "Well, it was worth a try!"

We all laughed as we finally arrived to two double doors which were opened and led to the backyards. It should be under some kind of spell, as no snow was visible in the green grass. We stepped outside and found Remus, Peter, James and… my sister there.

I shook my head as I got rid of Sirius' arm.

"Who's that?" Alice asked as Sirius met them and we kept at a safe distance. "She's really beautiful."

I smiled, "She's my sister." I told her. "And yes, she is beautiful."

I surprised myself as no sound of bitterness left with those words. I smiled again and James saw us and winked, walking to us.

Petunia raised an eyebrow at him and, when she saw where he was going, I could perfectly see the irritated expression she tried to suppress as Sirius probably hit on her.

"Hey!" James said as he stopped in front of us "I was wondering where you were!"

"Alice!" Charlotte called, interrupting us "Come with me, please!" she asked.

I saw the discrete wink she sent me, and I didn't object as she dragged Alice away. I turned my attention back to James. Getting closer to him, I hugged him. He was tense for some time, but then he relaxed and hugged me back. As we let go, I smiled and kissed his check, "Happy birthday." I said.

He stared at me and then laughed, "Finally!" he said.

I laughed as well. "It's better late than never!" I told him.

He stopped laughing and looked at me, "You're really pretty tonight."

I felt the colour rising to my cheeks and bit the inside of them so as not to grin. "Thanks," I said "You look rather ravishing yourself!" I told him back with an amused voice as I finally noticed how he was dressed.

He had some dark wizard robes- although I still don't understand why wizards keep on using them- and even his hair seemed more tamed. Of course the back still stood up in different angles, but it wouldn't be James if it didn't.

"This is really beautiful!" I said suddenly to ease the tension which was starting to rise. The Potter's backyard wasn't exactly a backyard. It was more like a park: huge, green, with benches and with… what seemed like little fairies!

He nodded "My mum always took care to make it the prettiest around," He told me as he smiled directly at me "The part I prefer are the fairies. Maybe you'd like me to show them to you?"

Okay, if he was trying to make me fall for him, he could stop in that exact moment. He was being too perfect to be true! I smiled back at him and was going to say yes when…

"Jimmy!"

…Petunia appeared to ruin everything.

James gave me an apologetic smile and I smiled back the same way.

"Hi, Lily!" she said, as she took my arm and kissed my check. Hypocrite. "You disappeared to God knows where in the beginning of the party! I was starting to wonder where you were!"

"You were worried?" I asked sarcastically "How sweet of you!"

James must have sensed the awkwardness, and his next words confirmed it. "I'll let you two talk. I'll be with Charlie."

I nodded "Thanks, James." I said.

Then, when he was away from us, Petunia immediately let go of me and occupied James' formed place. "What do you believe you were doing with him? Haven't I told you he's mine?"

I sighed in exasperation. "He isn't your property," I told her icily "Didn't you say you'd start dating him as soon as he came? I still haven't seen anything!"

She sneered at me "But you will, soon." She said "And don't you even try to get near him! He's not yours! Comprendrez-vous?"

"Just do whatever you want Petunia," I told her "But James is more than money and looks," I said, smiling "He'll see what you really are; beautiful on the outside but hideous in the inside."

She snorted, "Go ahead and fool yourself, little sister. Outer beauty is the most important thing a woman can have. And of that, I have plenty. Now, of you…" she pointed her perfectly manicured nail at me "We can't say the same thing."

There was no way for me to kid myself anymore. Her words hurt because they were true. And the truth always hurt. In that second I regret my blasted decision of stepping in that party. If I had remained at Hogwarts, none of that would've happen.

But what the Headmaster had told me echoed in my mind. "Someone once told me," I started saying to her "Outer beauty is what one sees first; but inner beauty is what makes one fall in love," I said to her, "If it's meant to be, Pet, it will."

She raised an eyebrow at me.

"What the hell do you mean with that?" she asked, but I didn't answer as I turned my back on her and walked to where everyone else was, smiling to myself. "Lily!" I heard her calling me, "Lily!"

(…)

The ball went smoothly.

I was sitting with Charlotte at one of the tables waiting for Alice to return. She had been asked to dance by a James' friend two years older than us who was now in auror training, Frank Longbottom. She seemed quiet content to be dancing with him, and I couldn't agree more with Charlotte, who said they made a wonderful couple.

I had already danced with more guys than I had ever spoken to in my entire life. Most of them I couldn't even remember the face, but I had a lovely time dancing with all of them. Charlotte too, danced with many guys. Most of them were twice her age, but she enjoyed herself anyway.

I had also danced with Sirius, Remus and Peter. The only one really missing... was James. But as the birthday boy, he had a lot of people wanting to dance with him. I just hoped he'd have time for me.

A loud "puff" sounding next to me made me turn my head and smile. The object of my thoughts was now sitting next to me and his sister.

"Tired?" I asked.

He nodded "You have no idea how much!" he said. "I have a hint that most of the women in this ball have no idea how to dance. They kept stepping me!"

I laughed and Charlotte did too. "Bad luck brother," She said "No one stepped me."

He smirked, "That's only because you stepped on them." I laughed again as Charlotte punched him.

"And you Lils?" he asked, turning to me. "I saw you dancing with a bunch of guys; interested in any?"

I raised my eyebrow at him. If I didn't know him better I'd have thought he had a tone of… jealously in his voice.

"Not really," I answered "there's no one really interesting in here."

"At least you didn't step on anyone's feet." Charlotte said, "Did you know they learned how to dance at Beauxbatons? I so want to go there!"

I laughed. "Really?" James asked "Are you serious?"

I nodded and he started laughing. "Poor you!" he said.

I punched him playfully. "At least I don't step on anyone's feet!"

James nodded as he kept laughing, "Prove it." he said.

"How?" I smiled.

"Dance with me," he said, "I'll decide if you dance well or not."

"What if I don't want to?" I asked teasingly.

"You know I can always make you do things you don't want to…" he started saying as his face grew closer to mine…

"James!"

We both turned our heads with a startle to where the voice came. James' mother, Dorea, was approaching us. I inched away from him the quickest I could, betting my blush would match the colour of my hair and having no idea of what to do for I was incredibly embarrassed.

"There you are honey!" she said, and there was something in her face that told me she had seen what was about to happen. Charlotte was also giving me not so discreet looks, which I believe helped the case. "Lily, how are you dear?"

"Good." I answered her as I smiled and tried to make my face go back to its normal colour.

She smiled back. "I'm sorry, dear, but I'll have to take these two angels with me. I need them to meet someone." She said, as she looked at her children.

James and Charlotte both coughed at the "angels" part, but Mrs. Potter just laughed. "Of course," I said "Go ahead."

She smiled to me again as she pulled her two "angels" with her. Before going, James whispered in my ear "You own me the last dance."

I nodded, as I bit my lip. That was it: he felt something for me. He just had to! Because, if he was playing with my heart, I didn't believe there'd be a way to fix it.

(…)

"Would you give me the honour of this dance?" a man with a black cloak asked me. I smiled as I looked at the man. He had a thick French accent and a hat which covered his entire face.

"Of course." I said, accepting the man's hand. And that was when something felt wrong.

The man's hand was too small and delicate to be a man's hand at all. With a shark movement, I took the man's hat and gasped…

"Elodie!" I shouted, making everyone look at me in confusion.

But I couldn't care less!

She took out her cloak and I could see the feminine figure underneath. And then, out of nowhere, an identical figure appeared.

"Madeleine!" I screamed again and I encircled both my two friends with my arms, hugging them tight.

"Lily, mon amour!" Mado said as I let go of them "Tu est très jolie!"

The twins had come to England to see me! Both of them had blonde hair and blue eyes. They were also extremely pretty, as their mother was a _veela_. They were both wearing the exact same dress, black and plain in style.

"Qu'est ce que vous faites là vous deux? Oh mon Dieu, vous m'avez tellement manquée!" I said as I hugged them both. ("What are you two doing here? Oh my God, I missed you so much!")

They smiled. "On est venues te voir!" Elodie said. "Tu ne peux pas savoir à quel point tu nous a manquées à Beauxbatons!" ("We came to see you!"; "You don't know how much we've missed you in Beauxbatons!")

I shook my head "Et Rénnè? Comment va-t-elle?" I asked. ("And Rénnè? How is she?")

"Tu lui manque énormément! Mais tu sais que ses parents ne la laisseraient pas venir" Mado said. ("Misses you like hell! But you know her parents won't let her come.")

I nodded. "Je m'y attendais. Sinon, comment c'est là-bas?" ("I was expecting it. Anyway, how's everything in there?")

They shrugged. "Ennuyant." Mado said "Tu sais qu'Elodie et Rénnè ne briseraient jamais aucune règle!" ("Boring."; "You know how Elodie and Rénnè won't break any rules!")

"Lily?" I heard a voice asking behind the twins. Sirius was looking at them with a rather… womanizer expression, for lack of a better word. "Who are your friends?" he asked curiously.

I saw Mado smirking next to me and, if I knew her right- and believe me I did- she wouldn't go back to France without snogging him.

I smiled. "These are Mado and Elodie. They're my friends from Beauxbatons." I explained. He nodded. "Voici Sirius Black." ("This is Sirius Black.").

"Celui qui a fait de ta vie un enfer?" Mado asked. ("The one which made your life hell?")

"N'y pense même pas, Madeleine. Nous sommes amis maintenant." ("Don't you even think about that, Madeleine. We're friends now.")

She nodded. "Alright," she said, "Pleasure to meet you."

He smirked, "The same. Both you and your sister."

Mado smirked back at him. Sirius still didn't know, but he had just found his equal in feminine version.

"Hey," Remus said as he too came to meet us "Hi." He said more timidly when he saw the two twins.

I smiled. "These are Elodie and Mado," I said "Friends of mine from Beauxbatons. This is Remus."

"Your tutor." Elodie said as she smiled at him.

"The one who made your essays." Remus said back at her as she blushed.

"You don't know Lily, it was impossible to teach her!" she said, her thick accent showing as she spoke.

"Oh, don't worry, I know!" Remus said.

"Thanks." I said dryly as they laughed. Uh, I thought, maybe Remus had found his female version as well…

"Well, would you like to dance?" Sirius asked as an uncomfortable silence fell over us.

"Not really," Mado said, making Sirius' jaw drop "We're trying to spend time with Lillian here."

I groaned. "Mado…" I said threateningly.

"Excuse moi, _Lily_." She said as she smirked. She knew I hated people to call me Lillian! ("Sorry")

"Oh," Sirius said "please?" he begged.

I laughed. I knew how Sirius was. He wouldn't leave us alone while she didn't dance with him. "Go ahead Mado," I told her "We can talk later. We have the entire weekend!"

She smiled "Really?"

I nodded. She nodded as well and took Sirius' hand.

"And do you give me the honour of this dance?" Remus asked Elodie following Sirius' path. I rolled my eyes as I predicted Elodie to refuse. She was never one to like to dance.

"Yes, she'd love to." I answered for her as I pushed her to the dance floor. I grinned to myself as I watched my two identical best friends dancing. If only Rénnè were there…

But my thoughts didn't linger on Rénnè for too long. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw a mass of Black hair being pulled to a table by another mass of blonde hair. My heart beat increased with anticipation as I sort of guessed what was going on.

In a quick step, I took a few steps and didn't have to go much farther to see something that completely broke me:

James, sitting there, on a chair.

Petunia, sitting there, with James.

Kissing him.

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: okay… I have to say sorry for the late update, but I did my best. Also, chapter 16 is ready to go! So, as soon as I feel like it, I'll update! (I'm evil… hahahaha).**

**Lol, I'm high on sugar, coffee and woke up and seven after going to bed at four. So, excuse me if I'm extremely happy.**

**P**

**Anyway, you know what I want… that little thing that makes me smile and only takes one or two minutes of your life… it starts with an "R"… it ends with "eview".**

**I think you got it pretty much by now.**

**Okay, I'll be going!**

**Hannah**


	16. 15th chapter

(…)

I watched frozen as James pulled away from her. As if feeling he was being watched, he looked up and those gorgeous hazel eyes locked with mine. He took a step in my direction, but I turned my back on him, running away. I started walking through the sea of people, not really noticing who I collided with.

"Lily?" I heard a familiar voice saying, but I didn't stop.

Somehow, I manage to get to the bathroom without being stopped.

Getting in, I closed the door behind me and was faced with the image of a girl. A girl with red hair, green eyes, and hot tears running down her face and destroying her make up. There I was, in the mirror.

And outside was Petunia. Of course he'd choose her. I felt so stupid, so naïve! My eyes were staring to get red for crying. As I watched myself on the mirror, only one feeling took over me: hate, anger. But not at James, not at Petunia. At myself.

At being incredibly blind, and at having never realized James would never be mine. At fooling myself for so long…

At the stupid hairstyle that felt so incredibly wavy as if nothing could ruin it; and the horrendous makeup that would never hide whoever was underneath. I hated everything about me and a wave of that anger washed over me as I powerlessly destroyed my hair, and took all the makeup I could from my face, destroy ever single evidence it had ever been there…

I stopped suddenly as another image of a girl caught my eye. This girl still had the same red hair, the same green eyes, but she presented herself just as she was: useless as ever; worthless as ever; _ugly_ as ever…

Fresh tears started to run down my face and I did no effort to clean them as I stumbled back and collided with the wall, finally letting myself slide down it until my flesh met the cold floor.

My knees pulled hard against my chest, I cried all that I wanted, forgetting everything around me…

"Lily!" a voice, a female voice said. "Lily, open up. I know you're in there."

I recognized the voice, but no name came to my mind. I tried to diminish the sound of my sobs which were leaving my mouth, but that only make me cry harder.

"_Alohomora_." the voice said and I heard the click of the door before a dark blonde girl entered. The last person I expected to see. Fiona.

"Oh shit," she said, sitting beside me and pulling me to her. I offered no resistance. "I saw it all; don't cry for him, he doesn't deserve it."

I don't know what made me trust the girl who so many times had made my life hell, but I did it as I found myself whispering. "I love him… I love him…"

"I know," she said. "But he doesn't deserve that love. Don't cry for him."

All the way the only thing I found myself capable of saying was those three pathetic words that meant so much to me. "I love him…"

"Just don't do this to yourself," She whispered "While you're here crying, he's out there with that blonde whore!"

Again, the only answer I was capable of giving was: "But I love him… I love him…", while rocking back and forward.

"Oh, for Merlin's sakes!" Fiona said. Then, she did something I'll be forever grateful for to her.

She slapped me. Hard. And spoke exactly what I needed to hear.

"Listen to me," she started "Do you think that if he loved you back he'd be out there with that whore? No, he wouldn't. He'd be with you. It's time for you to accept the truth Lily: he doesn't like you. No matter how many times you whisper that you love him, no matter how many tears you let down, he still won't love you! So stop with this self-wallowing and accept once and for all he isn't yours!"

And it worked.

My sobs slowly subsided and what Fiona had just said slowly started sinking in as well. No matter how much I loved him, he didn't love me back. And that was it.

Noticing that I had finally stopped crying, Fiona smiled at me. "Very good." She said, getting up. "Now get your ruddy arse of that floor. We're going to do your hair and make up back and you're going to show James bloody Potter he can shove his ruddy self up his gorgeous ass!"

I even managed a small laugh at what she said, even if a teary one. With some flicks of her wand, my hair and makeup were back to their original place and my dress was as new.

We were preparing to exit the bathroom when I stopped her. "Thanks, Fiona." I told her sincerely.

She smirked. "Now, don't grow soft on me, Evans!" she said. "I'm still putting spiders on your bed!"

We both smiled at that. But that detail gave a doubt to my mind.

"Why did you help me after all?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "I never really liked those bastards. The Marauders I mean. They think too highly of themselves sometimes."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "I thought you were-"

"Madly in love with Sirius Black?" she finished. I nodded. "I am." she declared. "Just like you are with James Potter. And not too long ago I was in your place, Sirius in James' and Anna in the whore's."

I looked at her surprised. Anna?

"Anna and Sirius liked each other last year. No. It was more they loved each other. She was the only girl Sirius ever really liked."

"But," I started confused "Isn't Anna dating Shaun at three years?"

Fiona nodded, "She is," she said, sighing "Now I'll have to tell you everything!" she declared, still smiling.

"Anna entered the Quidditch team last year. As you now, Sirius also plays. They started growing fonder of each other and ended up falling in love.

"Unfortunately for them, Anna was and is betrothed to Shaun since she was born- you know how pureblood people are- so she and Sirius could never be together and she broke up with him."

I nodded. "Do you know who the whore is? The one with James?" Fiona asked me.

"My sister." I answered.

She smirked. "Nice sister you have there," she said "Now come on, forget all that bullshit. The best thing for curing a broken heart is time, but we can very well hurry the whole process."

I raised an eyebrow at her "What do you mean?" I asked her.

She was still smirking when she answered me. "We're going to get you a boy," she said, putting a finger up when I was about to protest. "And then," she continued, "We're going to rub him in Prince Charmin's face."

(…)

"Lily?" Mado asked me as I approached them with Fiona. "Everything's okay?"

I nodded tiredly, "Yes."

"Vraiment?" ("True?")

"Non."

Both she and Elodie sighed. They knew me too well for me to be able to lie to them.

Fiona decided to step in, "Hi," she said "You are?"

"These are Mado and Elodie. They're my friends from Beauxbatons. This is Fiona." I said.

"Fiona?" Mado asked doubtfully. "The Fiona I know about?"

I nodded. "Forget that, Madeleine." Elodie said, stepping in "What happened, Lils?"

In record time, I told them everything that had happened ever since I had left them. They heard, stupefied; with everything I had told them had happened with James, they thought he liked me too. He was one hell of an actor.

"I'm sorry, Lils." Mado said "For not being there. But thanks, Fiona."

Fiona nodded. "I understand what she feels." She said "But now we have a plan in hands: we need an incredible hot and cute guy to dance with her."

Mado and Elodie looked at each other and smirked. "Well… we have an idea…"

I raised my eyebrow at them. Anything which came from those two wasn't good. "Madeleine et Elodie…" I said warningly. ("and")

They smiled. "Relax!" Mado said "We just had an amazing idea!"

"I was thinking in presenting her my cousin," Fiona started "But go ahead!"

"We were thinking about a guy we saw earlier; he dances really well and you know- Lily was a ballroom dancer champion, so…"

Fiona looked at me stupefied "You were?" she asked.

I made a bow. "From my second year to the fifth."

"There he is!" Mado said, as she pointed him.

It was a brown haired guy, really tall and lean I recognized studied at Hogwarts- a seventh year Ravenclaw.

"Are you kidding me? Tiago?" Fiona asked them smirking, "He has the biggest of the crushes on me!"

She and Mado shared a look. "This should be easy." Fiona said. "Wait here."

I waited until she was some meters away before turning to the girls. "What was she talking about?" I asked.

They shrugged. "Let's just say Potter will be green with envy." Mado said. I turned to Elodie.

"Don't look at me!" she said "I have no idea of what she is talking about!"

I sighed one last time as I saw Fiona and Tiago approaching us.

"There she is- Lily Evans. Lily, this is Tiago. And these are Mado and Elodie." she said.

He smiled at me. He wasn't as handsome as James, but was nice enough. "Fiona said you're a champion in ballroom dances?" he asked me, and I could detect a nice accent in his voice. He seemed to be Portuguese! _(AN: Excuse me if I have a passion for Portugal!)_

I nodded and he extended his hand to me, "If you'd like to join me?"

Mado pinched me when she saw I wasn't moving and I was forced to take his hand. "Sure." I said.

I looked one last time at the three girls and saw them all grinning at me. I hope this is the right thing to do, I thought, as Tiago started spinning me on the dance floor.

(…)

I felt his gaze on me but I didn't turn. Tiago turned out to be a really good dancer and we didn't need to talk as we simply danced.

But now, with the end of the night, James' words came back to my mind. He said I owed him the last dance. My heart beat increased with each moment that passed; I'd be dancing with him soon, and I knew everything that I had seen and tried to forget would come back… all the pain, all the sorrow I managed to mask while dancing would come back full force as soon as I felt his arms.

"Do you mind?" I heard James manly voice saying, stopping both me and Tiago from dancing. I turned around to face him. "The lady owns me this last dance."

Tiago smiled, "Of course, James. It was a real pleasure to dance with you Lily. Hope we can do this again soon."

I smiled at him, "It's was a pleasure to dance with you too. I'll see you around then?"

Tiago simply nodded- at both me and James- before turning away and disappearing through the crowd.

James startled me as he took my hand and started pulling me. "Where are we going?" I asked him.

"We're going to dance!" he answered as he smiled at me. He knew I had seen him with Petunia. I knew for sure he did. So, what was he planning?

"Where are you taking me?" I said. He didn't answer as he simply kept walking.

I stopped walking and made him turn. "What the hell do you thing you're doing?" I ask "Either you tell me where we're going or I'm going back to dancing with Tiago."

He smiled that smile of his he knew could break into me, "Remember that time in the library?" he asked me. I nodded. "Then trust me like you did that time."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "I didn't."

"You did," he said "Or I wouldn't have been able to pick you up. If you really didn't want me to, I wouldn't."

I looked up as I felt my eyes tearing again. That jerk! How could he do that to me? Not long ago he was kissing my sister!

"Come on." He said, pulling me again behind him. And I, as if I was a puppet, followed him.

It's so funny that, when one's in love, he'll do anything the other says. Even when the other has hurt you more than you could handle. Someone once said: "Love is not blind- it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less." So true that is.

Finally, we reached the double doors which lead outside the house. It was deserted, and James started walking through the enormous park. After some minutes, we finally stopped and I was mesmerized by the place we had ended up in.

We were in a glade, all around surrounded by bushes that completely hid us; also, flowers blossomed everywhere, especially violet petunias, which, ironically, were my favourite flowers.

And then, slowly, the tiny fairies I had seen sooner- even if briefly- started arriving. The music from inside was still possible to hear, and all that together created an enchanting scenery.

I looked at James and all I felt like was slapping him. After what I had seen, after all I had cried because of him and my idiot of a sister, he did _that_.

James made a bow and extended his hand to me, "Would you like to dance?"

I stared at him for large seconds, before deciding it was enough. Enough of him playing with me.

So, instead of taking his hand, I turned my back on him. "Go to hell, James." I said as I started my walk back to the house.

"No, c'mon Lily, wait!" he said, calling back to me. His screams scared the fairies, which bolted away.

He grasped my arm but I didn't turn. "Please," he said, his voice tired. "Just dance with me."

I laughed, but there was no mirth in it. "Why should I James? Did you bring my sister here as well?" I asked him coldly.

As I was making no intend of turning around to face him, he walked around me and faced me himself. "No," he said "You're the only person I ever brought here. Aside from Sirius and Charlotte, but I don't believe they really count."

I shook my head. "Do you want to know something? I believed in you for too long and far too many times. This time it's going to be different."

He looked down, abashed I think. And he should be.

"Just dance with me," he asked me one last time, "I'm not asking for anything else. Just a dance. Please."

I turned my gaze away from him. I knew that, if I looked him in the eyes, I'd accept his request. "You kissed her, James…" I whispered. "You _kissed_ her…"

He sighed. "I know what I did, and I truly regret it. But Lily, ever since that time I caught you on that stair I can't stop thinking about you. That… sort of kiss never left my mind.

"And you have no idea how confused I got! I mean, during two months I was completely smitten with your sister! I worshiped the ground she walked. She was like… my goddess!"

"I already understood that!" I said dryly, as I tried to free my arm from him. But he wouldn't budge.

"But then… then I got to know you." he said, as I stopped trying to get free from him.

"You made friends with my sister on the first day of class- I knew there had to be something especial in you. Charlotte can be a real pain in the ass when she wants!"

If his comment was supposed to make me laugh… then he should try again. Jerk.

"I tried… not to get involved with you, but every time I was near you… I just couldn't not talk to you, smile at you, look at you…" he smiled. "You're the complete opposite from your sister, and I like that. You're the kind of girl I can talk to, have fun with, do the craziest things I can imagine with! I'm not seeing Petunia take it very kindly if I picked her up and slipped her over my shoulder!"

That, I had to admit, was an interesting picture to imagine. The tiniest of the smiles tried to take my lips, but I, strong as I was, found myself not letting it happen.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" I asked. I was nervous and I know it showed on my voice.

"Tonight, when I kissed your sister, that was all I did." He said "It was a kiss, no meaning behind it. But you… when my lips simply touched yours… I know you felt it too. It was as if you sent an electric shock through me. You're something else Lily Evans."

"Your point is?" I asked again, now more nervous that ever. He was declaring himself to me!

"I like you." he said, smiling. "I… I love you."

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**Author's note: so, this is something my beta pointed out to me and I'd like to point out to you- it seems that there is a toilet paper which is called Charmin. And Fiona calls James prince Charmin. Initially, it was supposed to be Prince CharminG- you know, because of all the Cinderella thing- but I found it to funny and decided to keep it! ****Just so you know.**

**Anyway, this is a record to me! It's been a long time since I made two updates in two days:D**

**Anyway, thanks everyone for the marvellous reviews!!!**

**I'll be going now,**

**Hannah**

**Ps. R-E-V-I-E-W.lol**


	17. 16th chapter

You know those moments in your life when you simply don't know what to do?

For example, when the end of the day comes and you stare at yourself in the mirror just for the fun of it? Or those occasions when a professor asks you something and you have no answer to give him? Or in the moments the guy you love declares himself to you and you just stare at him, waiting for Sirius Black to pop in from one of the bushes around you at any second and tell you that was all a joke?

Well, I pretty much felt like that as I stared wordlessly at the man in front of me. I just stared. He loved me… but he had kissed my sister.

He said he loved me… but he had touched my sister lips earlier.

What if I kiss him, I thought, and her saliva is still there?

I found myself thinking in the strangest things one could imagine. And then… the Cinderella story came to my mind.

If I was the ugly sister, why did James want to be with me? Maybe he wasn't the prince Charming after all??

I shook my head mentally to take myself out of that reverie. Thinking about the Cinderella when the guy I wanted had just said he loved me!

"Lily?" James asked me as he, at last, let go of my arm. "You really don't have to say anything…"

Really now?, I thought, good, because I don't know what to say!

"What are you talking about?" I shrieking voice asked. We both turned and I was even more shocked than before. Maybe shocked isn't the right word. I was more like… speechless. Yes, that's it.

"Why are you lying like that? You kissed me!" I heard Petunia saying as both James and I stared at her "How can you prefer that bitch instead of me!!"

James' jaw felt, "What did you just called her?" he asked.

I smiled inside as Petunia was at a lost of words, "I… I… what does it matter??" she shouted at last "You have to love ME not her! She's ugly and fat and I'm… I'm… perfect!!"

I looked at James to see him shaking his head, "I should have believed Lily when she told me how you were. Now I know I picked the right sister. She's something you'll never be… she's not perfect, but I love her just like she is."

Petunia reddened in anger and I could swear that, just for some seconds, she seemed uglier than ever. Wow.

"I can't believe you did this!!" she screamed "She's just an ugly slut!"

"You can't talk about me like that!" I finally reacted.

She turned her angry glare on me, "You… you! You always wanted this, didn't you? Get something I wanted? Something that was mine? I hate you, witch!" she said, "I hate all wizards! You… you… freaks!" she screamed, before turning on her heel and running back to the house.

I stared after her incredulously.

And then I felt it. James grabbed my hand and led me back to the middle of the glade. And- the music in the house still being heard and the fairies coming back- he started leading me, dancing with me.

"Let's forget about her." He said "I'm happy this is over with."

He then smiled and approached his mouth to my hear, whispering, "I said I'd show you the fairies."

Those simple words sent shivers all through my body. "Mmhmmh." I answered half consciously.

Even after all I had heard from him, from my sister and all the dancing, I was still stuck in the part he said "I love you."

(…)

James and I danced through the night, even when the music stopped.

When fatigue finally took over me, James took me home where- fortunately- the twins and my sister were already asleep.

No other word about us was exchanged that night, not did I answered him that I loved him as well.

"Bon jour, Evans!" I heard a perfectly trained chorus singing.

"Let me sleep." I mumbled to my pillow as I tried to get back to sleep.

"Oh, non, non, non!" someone said "Get up! We need to know where you were last night!"

Last night, I thought, as I tiny smile flourished to my lips.

"Lillian!"

"It's Lily!"

They laughed, "Just tell us. We are even making the sacrifice of speaking English for you."

I laughed too as I sat up in bed. "James took me outside." I said.

Their face hardened. "James? The same James who kissed Petunia? The same James for who you were crying in a bathroom? _That_ James?" Mado asked.

I nodded, "Yes, that James." I said "He told me he kissed her because he was confused."

"And you believed?" Elodie asked.

"I don't know what to believe," I admitted. "But he said he loved me."

Mado shook her head. "You didn't believe him, did you?"

"I just told you I don't know what to believe in! And I didn't answer him as well. We just spent the rest of the night dancing."

They were silent as they took in the new information. "Don't believe him. Not yet." Mado said at last, "he might even be saying the truth, but I don't want you to get hurt again."

I shook my head. "You know I'm not stupid Mado. I won't fall to his arms just like that. But, if you want to know, Petunia heard him declaring himself."

Their eyes widened as a large grin spread through their faces, "What happened?" Elodie asked.

I frowned "Well, she was completely hysteric and said he couldn't choose me instead of her and ended saying she hated all wizards. Said we were freaks."

The twins laughed, "I guess she won't be marrying any wizard now." Mado said, as I laughed with her.

"Qu'est ce que tu va faire?" Elodie asked me. ("What are you going to do?")

I smirked, "What about the sacrifice of speaking English?" I asked. Mado punched my arm lightly as they pouted.

"Lillian!" Mado pleaded.

"C'est Lily!" ("It's Lily!")

They laughed, "Just answer." Elodie said.

My smiled got smaller somehow, "I don't really know," I said "I guess I'll just… wait to see what happens."

Elodie put a comforting arm on my shoulder, "It'll be alright, you know it. Il t'aime" ("he loves you.")

I smiled, "I hope he really does," I sighed, "Moving on, what happened to you two last night? I didn't see you after leaving to dance with Tiago."

Mado sighed and Elodie smirked. "Okay…" I said carefully, "Why do I think something's wrong in this? Shouldn't Elodie be sighing and Mado be smirking?"

They shook their heads. "Elodie- how do you British people say it?" Mado asked as I punched her lightly. "Oh yes, _snogged_ Remus!"

"What?" I asked, shocked. Elodie never, and I mean _never_, kissed a guy she just met. Mado, by the other hand, did it all the time. So you can imagine how that was a shock to me.

"Elodie!" I said, "You kissed my tutor?"

She smirked again. "I did." She said "And I cannot say I regret it."

I hugged her as I laughed. "What about you Mado? I thought you would snog Sirius as well! It's what both of you do!"

"Well," she started "I was. But then I spoke to Fiona and it didn't seem right to me."

I rolled my eyes, "That never stopped you before." I told her.

She shrugged. "No, but I was in debt with the girl. She took care of you after all."

"Thanks, then."

She nodded. "So," Elodie started "How about a breakfast like the ones we did in France?"

I rolled my eyes. "I believe it's a tad bit too cold for ice-creams."

She smiled, "It doesn't matter! C'mon! Please Lily?"

The twins both pouted at me and I had no other chance but to agree. "Fine, c'mon!"

Laughing, the three of us exited my room and made our way to the kitchen.

(…)

Unfortunately for me, the weekend passed way too fast.

My sister- although she was always glaring at me and whispering "freaks" when she saw me- was nothing compared with the joy I had in having my friends with me. Charlotte too stopped by and met them.

On Sunday afternoon, the four of us- me, Charlotte, Mado and Elodie- went to the Potter's fireplace so the twins could travel to Beauxbatons and Charlotte and I to Hogwarts.

After saying goodbye and shedding some tears, they twins were gone. Minutes later, Charlotte and I arrived at the Headmaster's office.

"Ahh!" Professor Dumbledore said as he saw us, "I see you have arrived. How was the party?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Uh… sir, you were there." I pointed out.

He smiled, "Yes, I was. But the same party can be seen from different points of view."

I smiled too. "It's was nice."

He smiled knowingly, "You may go now," he said as his eyes twinkled behind the half moon glasses "I believe everyone else has already arrived."

Both Charlotte and I nodded as we exited the Headmaster's office.

We spoke animatedly about the weekend as we walked to our common room. Once there, Alice, Meagan, Fiona and Anna were sitting in front of the fireplace, and they all greeted us as we sat next to them. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Anna as I looked at her. She couldn't be with the person she loved. I caught her eye and smile, as she smiled back.

"So, how was the party?" Meagan asked me "Fiona and Alice have been telling me about it, but Alice can only speak about this Frank and Fiona about men who didn't know how to dance!"

I looked at Fiona and she smirked at me. I raised an eyebrow and she shook her head. I nodded. We had just made a non-spoken agreement of no talking about what happened to me.

"Well, I danced with this Ravenclaw guy, Tiago, who was a really great dancer." I told her "But other than that, it was a normal ball."

Meagan sighed, "Oh, how I'd like to have gone!" she said "Anyway, that Tiago isn't the one who has a crush on Fiona? I mean, since last year he has been chasing her! Stalking her, really. He's a quidditch player, you know? Plays beater for Ravenclaw. But Fiona won't give him the time of the day, all because she's so madly in love with Sirius Black…"

As Meg said that words, I looked at Anna to see if she had any reaction at all. To my surprise- for it was something I had never noticed before- she looked at the floor and gulped. Wow. She still liked Sirius! How could she be dating Shaun??

"Meagan, rambling alert." Alice said, "Anyway, you have to meet Frank. He's super cute and nice and he's just so sweet and-"

"Rambling alert, Alice." Fiona said as we all laughed. Alice blushed, but ended up laughing too.

The portrait hole opening made us change the focus of our attention. The Marauders were getting in. My eyes locked with Remus' and I smirked at him, making him blush. Then, I noticed Sirius, who looked once at Anna and quickly focused his eyes on something else. Peter was in his own world as well and at last came James.

I had done my best to avoid him during the weekend, and I must say I was rather good at that. So, as I saw him now and our eyes locked, all I did was bit my lower lip. He smiled at me and, as he passed up, ruffled my hair before continuing his way to his dormitory.

I locked eyes with Fiona who gave me a confused look. I remembered she still didn't know about what had happened later. With a movement of my eyes I pointed to our dormitory. She nodded discretely and I stood up. "Excuse me, girls, but I need to see my wonderful bed again!" I said.

They laughed. "Go ahead Lily." Charlotte said, "I'll stay a little longer and wait for Sophia."

Sophia was her friend from first year. I nodded and started climbing the stairs.

Once in my room, I sat and waited. After a few minutes, the door opened and Fiona entered, sitting next to me. "Now," she said "What was that all about?"

Then, in a heart beat, I told her everything that had happened after I had been dancing with Tiago.

She heard as she wrinkled her eyebrows in thought, "So, you didn't answer?" Fiona asked me.

I nodded. "No, I didn't."

She nodded. "And what are you going to do now?"

I shrugged, "I have no idea," I said honestly "I mean, he did kiss my sister."

"Yeah, and then he declared himself to you and completely humiliated your sister." Fiona pointed out, "he seems to know what he wants."

"I know…" I answered, "What would you do if it was you and Sirius?"

She smirked, "Jump on his ruddy self, what you think?" I smiled, "But you can't do that with James, he's different from Sirius."

I nodded, "I know."

She rolled her eyes, "Man, life's difficult for you." she said.

I laughed. "Don't do anything." Fiona said. I stared at her confusedly, "Just wait to see what he does next."

I nodded, "Yeah, you're right. That's exactly what I'll be doing."

We laughed again as we exited the dormitory and descended to the common room.

Who, in the beginning of the year, would say I'd be talking about love with Fiona?

(…)

"Good morning." I looked up from my breakfast Monday morning to see the Marauders sitting next to me and the girls. As always.

"Morning." I said, as I returned my attention to my toast.

"So, was the ball eventful or what?" Sirius asked suddenly.

I almost chocked on my toast as he spoke. I had to take a large gulp of my juice to settle back. "You alright, Lily?" James asked me.

I cleaned my mouth with the napkin as Alice gave light taps on my back, "Yeah," I said at last, "I'm fine."

Sirius smirked at me. James must have told him about what happened. Idiots… I rolled my eyes, "But really Lily, those two friends of yours… you never told us you had friends like that!" said Sirius.

My time to smirk, I thought. "They are really great, aren't they?" I asked, "But I heard Mado rejected you…"

Everyone around the table snickered at that. Sirius pouted, "Yeah, I didn't get that. How come Remus snogged one of them and I didn't?"

Remus blushed profusely from his spot, but didn't say anything.

"I was surprised too!" I said "I mean, Mado's the one who always had one day things. Elodie rarely does that!"

Sirius shook his head, "The world is so strange…"

I laughed at him. "I never met those friends of yours, did I?" James asked me.

"Two aren't enough?" Sirius asked as I was going to answer.

My happiness was gone in that same second. Glaring at Sirius, I stood up. "I'll be going to class." I said.

"I'm going too." Anna said, also standing up.

James- who was sitting next to me- also motioned to stand up, but I put a hand on his shoulder, not letting him.

He, completely ignoring that fact, stood up anyways, picking up an apple to eat on the way. "I'll see you guys later." He said, then stalking me out of the Great hall.

Anna, seeing the tension between us, immediately said goodbye and went to meet Shaun in his table.

"Can I make you company?" he asked, as he ate his apple.

I rolled my eyes, "Would it matter if I said 'no'?" I asked with a smirk.

He laughed, "No, it wouldn't."

"Then I rest my case."

He was silent as he finished his fruit while I started walking with no place in mind, "Where are you going?" James asked me finally.

"Je ne sais pas." I answered him. ("I don't know").

He raised an eyebrow at me, "You don't know? What are you having first?" he asked.

"Charms," I answered quickly.

"Then you're not going in the right way."

I sighed exasperatedly. Didn't he get that I knew I wasn't going in the right way? Didn't he get that I just wanted to walk?

"Then _tell me_ the way to the Charms classroom, _please_." I asked with as much sarcasm as I could.

"What have I done to you?" he asked me.

"Nothing."

"Then why are you using that tone on me?"

I sighed, "I'm not using a specific tone on you, James." I said, turning to face him "C'mon, lead the way if you will."

He nodded but kept stealing glances at me as we walked, "You never answered me." he stated.

I didn't say anything as we walked through the hallways, "If you don't like me back you just have to say it." he continued.

Again, I didn't say anything. I heard him sigh, "You could say something now."

We were arriving to the charms classroom, but, in a soft but quick movement, James pushed me into a room to our left. The trophy room.

I should've seen that coming, I thought. We were talking about James Potter after all!

"Kidnapping me again? Tsk, tsk… This is the third time, Potter." I said teasingly.

But he left me no space to talks. Smiling in a malicious way, in a sharp move he grabbed me by the waist, pulling me closer to him and encircled me with his arms. His lips crashed into mine and I felt the world spinning, just like every time he kissed me.

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**Author's note: ………………………………. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**I had more than forty reviews last chapter!**

**Okay, now I have a sad, but happy at the same time, announce to make: next chapter will be probably the last! So, people, review!!**

**Anyway, some more things I think you should know:**

**No, I'll not be entering in the subject that was Anna and Sirius' relationship. I think it was very clear they're **_**not**_** together because Anna knew she couldn't get out of her betrothal. Nor will Fiona start dating Sirius. Also pretty clear he didn't like her.**

**No, Lily won't find out Remus is a werewolf. I mean, in the future she'd eventually find that out, but I won't be writing it.**

**Okay, I think that was it! Just one last note: as my beta is out of her hometown right now, she wasn't able to edit it. So, if you found mistakes, please bear with me.**

**Thanks again!**

**Hannah**


	18. 17th chapter

_Kidnapping me again? Tsk, tsk… This is the third time, Potter." I said teasingly._

_But he left me no space to talks. Smiling in a malicious way, in a sharp move he grabbed me by the waist, pulling me closer to him and encircled me with his arms. His lips crashed into mine and I felt the world spinning, just like every time he kissed me._

He licked my lips, trying to deepen the kiss. When I kept still, my mind still trying to process what was happening, he started to pull away. Breaking out of my thoughts, I pulled him to me and opened my mouth, deepening the kiss. I felt him smiling as we kissed.

He started walking, pushing me against the door as he kissed me with so much lust, so much desire… his mouth was on my neck, on my skin and just like that he'd come back to my mouth. My arms were around his neck, playing with his hair, and his tongue was possessive, fighting with my own.

I felt chills going through my entire body as his hands kept touching me. There was passion in it, and I kissed him back with as much strength as I had cried some nights before. My reason meant nothing in that moment, and, when he finally broke the kiss, I was panting. He was smiling against my lips, still touching them lightly.

With all the strength that I possessed in me, I took my hands to his chest and pushed him away from me. What I had done started to get back to me. That was definitely not a friend's kiss, I thought.

"You can't just do this," I said, gaining back my senses "Push me into a room and kiss me like that!"

James smiled as he tried to lead in for another kiss, but I pushed him away. He frowned, "What's wrong?" he asked me, as I walked away from him.

"I'm not sure about this," I said, gesturing to the two of us. James frown deepened.

"What are you not sure about?" he asked me bemused.

"You did kiss her." I said rather lamely.

He groaned as he covered his face with his hands and, when he discovered them, he was looking me in the eyes, "I thought we had that figured out already," he said "I love you, what do you want me to do so you can believe me?"

I shook my head as I gave him a small smile, "I believe you already, you needn't do anything. But it's just… confusing."

"I don't get you," he told me as he sat down in a chair he had just conjured, "I know you feel something for me, and I won't believe you if you say you don't."

I nodded, "I wouldn't believe me too if I said that," I admitted "But I… I don't know James…"

He smiled "What's there not to know?" he asked me, walking up to me and taking my hands in his, "I want you, you want me. Simple as that."

I smiled as I traced his lips and jaw with my fingers. He was so handsome; that messy hair of his always sticking up at the back, as if he had just gotten out of his broom; his eyes, so green from such close proximity… it just didn't feel right to think he'd end up with someone like me.

I felt I wasn't enough for him. "Are you sure you do?" I asked, and his face was even more one of puzzlement, "What if this is simply… a thing of the moment?" I asked, "What if you-"

He silenced my protests with his finger, "this isn't a thing of the moment," he said "C'mon, after all that happened with your sister back at the ball you still think it could ever be?"

"I don't know…"

He smiled as he hugged me, "It's not," he said "You're still young, so I understand you may have some doubts. But I'm older, I'll be entering the real world. I know what I want."

I laughed, "Young? I'm just a year younger than you!"

He laughed too, "You know what I meant."

I nodded as once again pulled him away from me, "I'm… I'm not sure." I said.

"What do you want me to do? Announce to my parents that I want you? Tell the entire school, announce it on the prophet? Because if you do, just tell me, I'll do it!"

I shook my head, "no," I said "I don't want any of those things. Just give me time. To think."

He nodded and half smiled as he looked up at me, "Sure," he said "Of course."

I smiled too as I walked out of the trophy room with a confident walk, when on the inside all I did was shake. What was I doing? I had just said "no" to James. James. The guy I liked… the guy I loved. There must be something wrong with me, I thought as I finally walked to the Charms classroom.

(…)

"You're quiet," Fiona noticed later that night as the two of us, Meg, Alice and Anna sat in the common room by the window. Charlotte was already sleeping and the Marauders were nowhere to be seen. I could almost bet they all had been avoiding me the entire day, for I hadn't seen any of the four.

Tearing my eyes away from where the full moon was staring at me through the window, I faced them, "No," I said, smiling half heartily "I'm just tired."

Fiona nodded but she knew I was lying. Of course I still hadn't told her about what had happened, because every time I was with her the other girls were there as well.

"Do you ever have that feeling Lily is hiding something?" Alice asked as she raised an eyebrow at me, "C'mon Evans, spit it out."

Looking around, I could see we were the last habitants of the common room. It was almost midnight, but I wasn't sleepy at all. In fact, I was everything but.

"I'm not hiding anything, Al," I said "I'm just really tired."

"Then go to bed," Meg suggested as she stood up, "In fact, that's exactly what I'll be doing." She said as she stifled a yawn.

"I don't really feel like," I said "Good night, Meg."

"No one's coming?" she asked, we all said no "Okay then, see you tomorrow."

She walked up the stairs as an awkward silence fell over the remaining three. I watched them for a while before looking back out the window… the full moon was still clearly visible.

And it remembered me something… the last time I had seen the full moon… what had happened?

With a startle I remembered. It was that night Remus hadn't been able to tutor me, so James, Sirius and Peter had done it. The night I saw the guys on the grounds. And now they were gone again…

Standing up quickly, I opened the window and tried to see anything outside, but nothing caught my eye. Sighing, I closed it again. I was being stupid. What had the full moon to do with them sneaking out of the castle?

The three girls gave me puzzled looks, "Just felt… hot!" I covered lamely. They laughed as Fiona stood up.

"I'm going to follow Meg's example," she said "And don't you even think in opening the window of the dormitory Lily!" she said.

I laughed "I won't!"

"I'm going too." Alice said, "Wait up Fi!"

At last, I was left alone with Anna. "Aren't you tired?" I asked her.

"Not really," she answered "When I'm sure they're asleep I'll made them company."

I smiled as my thoughts wondered again to James. Why was I being so insecure about him? Without really thinking, I asked "Anna, had you any doubts when you started dating Shaun?"

Only after did I notice what I had asked, "Sorry," I said "you don't have to answer that."

Anna smiled slightly as she evaluated me with her eyes, "Some told you? Fiona, right?"

I didn't answer, for I had no idea of what to say to her. "You can answer, it doesn't really matter. Fiona and Alice are the only who know about… that. I guess you know too now."

I looked down, "Sorry to bring that up."

She shrugged, "It's okay. I mean, everyone knows I'm betrothed to Shaun." She started "But not about Sirius."

I smiled sympathetically, "I'm sorry about it."

"Don't be," she answered "I'm used to it by now."

I looked at her seriously before asking the doubt in mind since I had known about her story. "Anna, how can you date Shaun if you're in love with Sirius?"

She smiled sadly, "Shaun and I have an especial relationship. We were betrothed when we were kids, so we always knew we were supposed to get married. He doesn't like me either, and we only pretend to date because of our parents. He's more like… my best friend,"

I smiled. I had never seen her saying so many words together. She smiled too, "Guess I'm scaring you with talking so much?"

I nodded, "But go on." I said

"I wasn't like this before," she told me "I used to speak all the time. I was almost as Meg."

We were in silence as I took her words in. "Like I was saying, Shaun and I aren't really lovers. I mean, when I started having feelings for Sirius he was the first to notice, even before me."

My eyes widened, and Anna laughed. "Yes, he knew about me and Sirius. He helped me a lot with him. We tried to end our betrothal too, but to no avail. So I gave up and accepted the fact that I'll marry Shaun one day.

"And for that Sirius never really forgave me," she said "But it was best for both of us. It'd be worst if I didn't do that."

I nodded, "What about Fiona? Didn't you know she liked Sirius when you dated him?"

Anna nodded, "We used to be best friends, you know?" she told me "Of course I knew she was in love with Sirius. She has been in love with him ever since she found out boys existed! But I couldn't help it. I felt hard for him and he felt for me as well. That's why we don't give along now. She never really forgave me either."

I nodded, "That's really sad," I told her "but it could be worst, right?"

"Yes," she said "It could be worst. What if I was betrothed to Malfoy?" she laughed and I laughed too. It was good to see she could kid around with that.

"I'm going to bed," she said, getting up. "See you tomorrow Lily."

I nodded "I'm staying a while longer. Good night."

And, at last, I was alone.

(…)

"Shh, stop making noises!"

"Well, stop shouting Padfoot!"

"You just did it too Wormtail!"

"Guys! Shut up!"

"Sorry Prongs."

I lifted my head and looked around, not seeing anyone but hearing three voices I knew very well.

I was still in the common room, laying on the couch where I had probably fallen asleep. The clock showed it was four in the morning. Still hidden, I lifted my head a little more and watched, in shock, as three seventh year boys appeared out of thin air.

An invisibility cloak, I thought, as I stared at the object in James' hands.

They were about to climb the stairs when I decided to step in, "Where were you until now?" I asked loud and clear.

The three of them tensed and stopped. Then, slowly, they turned back and I could see them perfectly.

They clothes were all ripped apart; their skin had scratches everywhere, one especially nasty in James' forehead. I raised my eyebrow at them, burning with concern. What had they been up to for being in such state?

Guessing they were drunk and had gotten in a fight, I asked my question again. "So? Where were you?"

"Hi!" Sirius said, as he walked to me "We were… in the kitchens!" he said "We just left!"

No, I thought, if he can lie he isn't drunk. "Really? How come I didn't see you getting out? Or hear you," I added "Seeing as you forgot to mention you had an invisibility cloak."

James looked at me guiltily, "Oh, oh, oh." Peter said, faking a yawn "I'm so tired. Good night!" and he run up the stairs while I screamed "Peter!"

Sirius looked at where Peter had just vanished and then at me again. "I'm going to get him for you." Sirius said, following the former marauder's path, and I knew he wasn't by any means coming back.

Finally, only James remained. "Don't you to dare run away like they did," I told him threateningly "And what happened to you?" I asked, as I took my wand and fixed his clothes.

"Thanks," he said "And nothing happened. I fell."

I laughed mirthless, "And I guess those two jackasses fell with you, right?"

James grimaced as I took my hand to touch his head where he was hurt. "That stings, you know?"

In response, I touched it with more strength. "Lily!" he said.

"You deserve it!" I accused as I pulled him to the couch, sitting him and examining his cut better. "You should go to the Hospital Wing." I told him seriously.

"Are you crazy?" he asked me "And how exactly would I explain this cut?"

I glared at him "The same way you are explaining it to me," I said "this isn't the first time I catch you three out of bed at night. And where is Remus?"

"Remus' asleep." He answered quickly. I knew he was lying, but I nodded anyway.

I quickly made a healing charm in his head (I was quite good at them) and the cut closed.

"Thanks." He said again.

Finally, I sat next to him. "Okay, now I'm ready to listen. Last time you got away with it, but not this one."

He sighed, "Where do you think we were?"

"How am I supposed to know? All I know is that it's the second time I catch you three out of bed on a full," my next words came out slow, "moon," something was starting to form in my head "night." I said at last.

No, it couldn't be. I mean, it was impossible!

My eyes widening, I got up from the couch. "Lily, where are you going?"

I started running up the stairs as James run after me. As I was about to open his dormitory's door, his hand came around my waist and stopped me. "What are you doing?" he asked me.

"I just need to be sure." I told him.

He shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about. Just don't wake them up."

He wanted to drag me back to the common room but, before he could do that, I said one word that froze him. "Werewolf." I whispered.

He looked at me with wide eyes, but quickly that was dismissed with a laugh. A fake laugh. "What are you talking about?"

"Remus is a werewolf," I said "it makes sense. That's why he wasn't with you today or last time I caught you. I just don't get what you were doing outside. I mean, you could've been bitten!"

James shook his head, "You're crazy," he told me "Remus is not that."

But he was lying and he knew he couldn't fool me anymore. "Then I'll just go in your dormitory and he'll be there, sleeping. Isn't it, James?"

He seemed to give up as he looked down and the door behind me opened. "Man, she's smart." Sirius said, as he and Peter exited. "It took us a lot more time to find out."

James glared at him and he closed his mouth. "Get in, Lily." He said demandingly, and I had no other change but to obey and enter their dormitory.

It was as messy as the last time I had entered it. Of the four beds, only one remained clean. And it was empty. Remus'. The idea of Remus being a werewolf was hard to accept. I mean, how could that boy, so calm and collected transform into a… a wolf once a month?

"Lily, you have you promise you'll keep this to yourself." James said, and never before had I seen him so serious. I nodded in response.

"So, he is… a werewolf? I wasn't mistaken?"

He nodded, "No, you were right."

I arched an eyebrow at him, "And what exactly were you three doing outside?"

The shared a look between the three. "Well, might as well tell her everything." Sirius said.

And then, just liked that, in the place where Sirius once was a huge black dog appeared. What?, I thought. They were… animagus?

"Am I dreaming?" I asked "Or is Sirius really a dog?"

James and Peter laughed at that, "In and out." Peter answered me as Sirius- the dog- jumped on him.

And then, just like that, Peter disappeared and from under the black dog came a rat. I screamed as I jumped to the nearest bed. I couldn't help but hate rats. It had been like that since I was a little girl.

James laughed, "Afraid of rats?" he asked me.

I thrown him the first thing my hand caught, which happened to be a pillow. "What about you?" I asked, curious.

"No, I'm not afraid of rats."

I rolled my eyes. "Not that!" I said "What are you?"

He grinned, "A stag."

I shook my head confusedly, "Okay, I know you're single. But what animal are you?"

Peter and Sirius laughed for some reason as I stared at them confusedly. "What?" I asked.

"Give her a break. She's French." James said "What I mean Lily is that I'm really a stag. An animal."

I raised my eyebrow at him, "What is a stag?"

"Let me show you."

And James started changing until a large animal with horns remained in his place. Ah! I thought a deer! "You could've just said you were a deer," I told him as he transformed back.

James stuck his tongue out at me. "Anyway," he said "Have you any more questions?"

Had I? Hell yes! But it was time to go to sleep. I had classes in some hours.

"No," I said "None I really want to ask, I mean." I stood up "I'll be going."

They nodded as they watched me walk to the door. When I was there, however, I stopped and turned, "Ah!" I said "Now I get the nicknames!"

I saw them grinning as I closed the door and ran all the way to my dorm.

(…)

Next morning, and due to being up until almost five in the morning, I missed my first class.

When I woke up, the other four girls were gone, and they had left me a note saying I had been sleeping like a rock and they couldn't wake me.

After seeing what time it was, I got up, took the fastest bath ever and got dressed in record time. After going to the kitchens and having a light snack, I went to class and barely managed to get in DADA at time.

So, when lunch time finally arrived, I was utterly relieved.

As the girls and I arrived to the Great Hall, the Marauders and Charlotte were already there. I was going to sit somewhere else, and Anna seemed tempted to dp the same, but Sirius waved at us and Alice started walking to them. Sighing, we followed her.

I tried not to look at any of them as I concentrate only on my lunch. But the four gazes of the Marauders burned little holes on my head. Yes, four, as Remus was already back. He must know I know, I thought.

Finally looking up, I faced their gazes. "What?" I asked, and they all looked away quickly.

"Nothing." James said. I smiled at their reactions, and Remus smiled back. I winked at him and kept eating my lunch normally, now more worried about the fact that James was sitting next to me than the fact that a werewolf was a well.

"Hi!" I heard someone saying. I looked up to see a girl behind James, her hand on his shoulder. "Can I talk to you James?"

I recognized the girl as being a Gryffindor seventh year, the best friend of the Head Girl. Without really noticing it, my fits started closing.

James looked at her and shrugged, "Sure." He said, getting up and following her out of the Great Hall.

"Who was that girl?" Charlotte asked.

"Oh, that? Mary Smith," peter clarified "She has her eye on James since Sirius dumped her."

Sirius grinned at that, but I wasn't paying attention. Was she kidding me? I had just managed to get the boy to like me and already he had another girl after him? Okay, I had asked him time, but that didn't mean I wanted him to date other girls!

"Excuse me," I said, getting up "I seem to have forgotten my charms' book in my room."

"But we don't have charms!?" Meg said confusedly. Fiona, Alice and Anna shot her a dark look and I heard her making a big "Oh!"

Opening the Great Hall door, I found James leaning on the wall with the girl in front of him. She was staring at him and the words "like you" and "chance" caught my ear.

Trying my best to remain calm, I approached them and they both turned their gazes to me. The girl raised an eyebrow and James smiled. "Hi," I said shortly "James, can we have a word?", I said, looking him the eye.

The girl looked at me with a murderous expression, "Sorry dear, but we are in the middle of a serious conversation."

I shrugged, "I don't think he wants to listen to what you have to say." I answered.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Lily?" James asked as he looked at me "What are you doing?"

"Please?" I asked him. "Come with me."

"James, this here is really important, you know." The girl said.

But James wasn't paying any attention to her. Somehow, I felt good at that. He was grinning at me. "Sorry Mary," he said "We can finish this talk later."

I smiled widely as I grabbed his hand and started running to the doors, James running behind me.

"Where are we going?" he asked me.

I didn't answer as I opened the entrance doors and led him outside. A light breeze of cold air touched us as soon as we stepped outside, but I kept going, only stopping when we arrived to that same tree where so long ago Sirius had hexed me for the first time.

"Kidnapping me, Evans?" James asked, smirking "Tsk, tsk. Don't get used to it or you won't be able to stop."

I laughed at him as he pulled me to him and kissed me. I kissed back and, when we broke apart, send him a bemused look. "I never said why I dragged you here in the first place." I stated.

"No, you didn't." he said "But it's obvious, isn't it?" he asked smugly "You couldn't keep your thoughts of me!"

I laughed in mock shock "You're so conceited!" I told him as I punched him in the chest, "I can't believe I'm doin-"

But he cut me off as he kissed me again, and I let myself fall into his embrace. "But your right," I admitted as he smiled at me "I couldn't keep my thoughts off your so beautiful _horns_."

James laughed, "Even as an animal I'm gorgeous."

I punched him again, "I can't believe you just said that! It's just… wrong!"

We both laughed as I hugged him closer, resting my head on his chest while he played with my hair.

"Lily…" he said.

"Mmmh?"

"You never really answered me on my birthday…" he said, and I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Why, but wasn't it you who said it was obvious why I brought you here?"

James pouted, "You just ruined the moment."

"I did not!"

"You did," he said "You ruined the moment."

I laughed at him, "Okay, I'm sorry. Let's do it again." That said, I leaned on his chest again. He laughed too. "The hair!" I said "Come on!"

He did as he was told. "Now you have to speak." I said with fake exasperation.

I needn't look at him to know he was grinning, "Lily," he said.

"Mmmh?" I said again.

"You never really answered me on my birthday…"

This time, I looked up at him and all the amusement in the situation was gone. His hazel eyes sparkled as he waited for me to answer. "I love you too." I said.

"Ahh!" James said as he hugged me, taking my feet out of the ground and spinning me as I screamed, "I knew it!"

I laughed, "You just ruined the moment!" I mocked.

"The hell with the moment!" he said as he put me back down and looked me in the eyes, "I love you as well, you know that right?"

I nodded, "Yeah," I whispered, "I know."

(…)

"Goodbye sixth year!" I laughed Fiona screamed at as loud as she could, while we were walking to our last breakfast in the castle as sixth years.

Things seemed to pass by so fast since James and I were together. It had been eight months since we started dating and, so far, we had only fought three times. A record if I say so myself.

During Christmas, instead of going home, both of us remained in the castle. We spent almost every minute together and I couldn't get enough of him.

But now, as the year came to an end, I wasn't sure about what would happen to us. After all, I'd have to come back to Hogwarts for my seventh year. And he wouldn't be here.

"What'cha thinking about Lils?" Meg asked me as we walked "Finally the summer is coming! Be happy!"

I smiled half heartily. The summer didn't seem so bright to me; not only was Petunia home to "welcome" me but James would start his auror training two weeks into the summer as well. And I'd be seeing him less frequently.

"She's thinking about how hot and good looking her boyfriend is," A voice said behind me before grabbing my waist and kissing my neck, "isn't that so, love?"

I smiled, "Well, I was more like thinking in how good looking and hot my boyfriend's best friend was…" I said. Did I mention Sirius and I had taking a like in mocking James?

"Thanks Flower," Sirius said "Tonight, same time, same place?" he asked, winking.

"Tonight, same time but we have to choose other place." I answered, as James looked between the two of us and the other's laughed. "We won't be at Hogwarts anymore."

"How about your bedroom?" Sirius suggested.

I laughed, "Not such a good idea. James' bedroom's window is right in front of mine."

James rolled his eyes at us, "So childish." He said to Alice, who laughed.

(…)

After breakfast, the ten of us- meaning the Marauders plus me, Anna, Alice, Fiona, Meagan and Charlotte- decided to take a stroll through the grounds of castle. Not only the whether invited it, but also it was the Marauder's last day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

We decided to stop behind a tree by the lake, a place I had seen the Marauders sitting in many times and where James and I had sat plenty of times as well.

"Come with me." James whispered. I raised an eyebrow at him but followed him anyway. He led to other tree a little far from our friends, but close enough to see them.

"Kidnapping me again?" I asked in what was our private joke. He smiled tensely at me. "What?" I asked him, "You seem incredibly tense"

He shook his head, "I love you."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "I love you too." I said cautiously.

He took a deep breath "Lily, next year you'll be coming to Hogwarts and I'll be in auror training," he started as I continued to stare at him confused "It'll be really hard for us to see each other…"

Oh Merlin, I thought, was he breaking up with me?

"Why are you talking about that now?" I asked him as tears started to well in my eyes.

James put a strand of my hair being my ear, "I'm just worried about what's going to happen to us."

"Nothing's going to happen to us…" I whispered as he leaned his head on mine, "We'll be just like we are now…"

He nodded as he grabbed my hands, "You know it's not like that. And you're young, you may forget about me, get another bloke…"

I laughed, "I'm one year younger than you," I said "At there'll be Hogsmeade trips, Christmas… I don't want another bloke."

I felt him slipping something into my finger and I looked down startled. And I was even more surprised when I saw the triangular ring craven with emeralds and diamonds.

"Ja-James Potter…"

"Marry me." he whispered, cutting me off.

My eyes widened as I looked up at him, "Are you serious?" I asked.

"Never been more serious in my life. Look, I know at the age of sixteen you're probably not thinking in getting married. By I'm not saying for us to get married right now…" he said, smiling, "I just… just want to make sure you're mine."

I looked up at him without knowing what to say. And here I was thinking he was going to break up with me!, I thought.

"Where did you get the ring?" I asked at last as a smile started tugging on my lips.

"It's a family heirloom," he said "I asked my mother to owl it to me."

I shook my head, "So?" he asked, "I need an answer…"

I laughed as I encircled my arms around him, "Yes, yes, yes!" I screamed, and we ended up falling to the floor, me on top of him.

He laughed too as he hugged me back, "Lily Potter…" he said "It has a ring to it…"

I smiled as we laid there on the ground, our arms still around each other.

And so I was the ugly Sister… and got the prince Charming. How was that possible? Maybe James wasn't the Prince after all. Or maybe I wasn't the ugly sister…

I shook my head of those thoughts. The love of my life had just proposed and there I was thinking about fairytales.

"What are you thinking about?" James voice brought me back to reality.

I smiled, "The Cinderella." I answered.

"I don't get it."

"I was thinking about the Ugly Sister." I clarified for him as we both sat up.

If James was bemused before, now he stared at me like I was the oddest person alive, "What about her?" he asked me.

"Do you think she gets her happy ending?" I asked as I focussed my eyes on the blue sky.

"Wasn't she supposed to be bad?" he asked me.

"Sometimes she's good." I answered, "The problem is that people are so worried about Cinderella that they don't see her."

James smile probably at how strange the conversation was "Then yes, I think she gets her happy ending." He said as he kissed my cheek "And you," he asked me at last "What do you think? Do you believe she gets her happy ending?"

Before answering I looked around me. First, my eyes landed of my friends, who were laughing at the distance probably due to some joke Sirius had said. My eyes kept travelling through the castle until they felt on the ring, my engagement ring.

"Yes," I answered at last and smiled, as I looked up into the beautiful eyes of James Potter "I'm sure she gets her happy ending."

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**Author's note: YES! After so many problems (including rewriting the chapter) I've finished this fic!**

**I'm so proud of myself; this is the 1****st**** fic I ever finish! Now, I want to thank everyone who read this, reviewed this and supported me through it. You were all really important to me and always kept me going on!**

**About the chapter: I know I said I wouldn't be writing about Remus being a werewolf and all, but, as I rewrote it, it just came to my mind and I decided to put it in.**

**Also, ****I've been thinking of a sequel, as Lily still has a last year at Hogwarts, but I'm not sure about it. I had some great ideas for it (including the twins coming to Hogwarts) but if I ever wrote it it'd be darker than this part, because James would be in auror training and… well, you got my point.**

**Anyway, this it I guess!!**

**Again, thanks to everyone who supported my and to my beta sweetsoutherngal!**

**Love,**

**Hannah**

**Ps: just one tiny last thing- this chapter wasn't edited, so mistakes are due to be found.**


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